Cascade Effect
by JavaMasta
Summary: Vampire Edward, having abstained from human blood for so long that he is immune to its scent, moves to Seattle as a 1st year pediatric resident. What happens when he foils James' lunch plans by saving Bella, a strangely intriguing human grad student? AU
1. Chapter 1: Encounter

_**Well, this is my second fanfic, and my very first with Edward as a vampire. **_

**_Please let me know what you think!_**

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

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_**CHAPTER 1: Encounter**_

_Stupid vampire! Damn, stupid, __CARNIVOROUS vampire_!

Edward practically stood on the brakes of his silver Volvo when that idiot jumped right in front of him. While he managed to control his car on the rain-slick forest highway, the driver behind him wasn't so fortunate. Two seconds later there was a loud slithery squeal of tires, followed by the terrible crashing and crunch of a heavy metal vehicle going down the embankment and hitting a tree.

His thoughts moved quickly as he hastily pulled his car to the side of the road and got out to check on the other driver. He knew that blond, long-haired vampire, and he saw what going through his mind. James was hunting the driver behind Edward, the girl in the ancient red pickup. She had her windows down, and he could smell her from the woods. He'd planned on causing both Edward's and the girl's vehicles to crash, thus providing both he and his mate dinner, when he realized that the driver of the Volvo was also a vampire. Deciding he didn't want to share his meal, James ran off.

Edward turned his attention to the driver of the red pick-up. He heard her breathing, and the faint thump of her heart, but no thoughts. Perhaps she was unconscious?

He scrambled down the hillside. Miraculously, the truck had gone down backwards, the rear of the vehicle suffering the brunt of the damage. As he approached, the wind changed direction and he was suddenly assailed by the most delicious aroma of human blood that he'd ever had the misfortune to encounter. Venom immediately filled his mouth, and he abruptly held his breath. If Edward hadn't been abstaining from human blood for over a century, surviving on that of animals instead, he would have immediately attacked the girl.

_Pull yourself together, Cullen_, he ordered himself._ It's just a human girl. She probably has people who love her, who will be devastated if they lose her. You're a doctor, dammit. Go help her!_

Edward determinedly fought the bloodthirsty monster within himself. It hadn't emerged for several decades, and there was no way that he would let it appear now . When the creature was once again firmly constrained, he approached the truck. Still holding his breath, he saw through the passenger window that the girl was indeed unconscious. Blood oozed from a gash in her forehead. Thank God she had her seatbelt on, or she would have been ejected from the cab.

The driver's side door was crushed up against a tree. Edward swiftly climbed in the passenger side. A quick examination told him that there was no damage to her neck and spine, although it appeared that she suffered a few bruised ribs from the impact with the steering wheel. He needed to know if there was any internal bleeding, but for that he had to be able to smell. Steeling himself, he started breathing again.

The aroma of her blood at close range assaulted him, threatening to overtake his self-control. This time he was prepared for it. Ignoring the open wound on her forehead, he focused on her torso. Good, no additional bleeding.

He gently unbuckled her and pulled her back from her slumped position over the wheel. Seeing her up close, he realized that she wasn't a girl, but rather a young woman, probably in her mid-twenties. She was slim, and her clothes were too big for her, as if she'd lost a lot of weight. Not surprisingly, she was very pale. Tearing a strip of cloth from the bottom of his cotton shirt, he made a pad and attempted to staunch the flow of blood from her forehead. She would definitely need stitches.

He examined her face more carefully, brushing her long mahogany hair away from the wound and attempting to clean up the worst of the blood with another strip of cotton. Hmm…she had a faint scar under her chin, and another just in front of her left earlobe. Clearly, he thought wryly, stitches wouldn't be a new experience for her. At this point, the best plan would be to call the state troopers to report the crash, then hide up in the trees until they and an ambulance arrived.

Suddenly, he heard James' thoughts as he returned to watch from afar.

_So that freak Cullen won't drink from her,_ James smirked. _She's mine. Such a delicious scent._

Forget the state troopers. Edward needed to get her away from here. Not wanting to cause her further injury by pulling her through the passenger side, he jumped out and pushed the truck far enough away from the tree to reach the driver-side door. The crushed metal caused the door to jam, so, without a second thought, he wretched it off.

There was nothing from the young woman's mind, so Edward assumed that she still hadn't regained consciousness. He was astounded to find a pair of chocolate brown eyes staring at him. They were round with shock and fear. He cursed himself for his carelessness. She must have seen him rip the door off. Why can't he hear her thoughts?

"It's all right," he told her softly, "you're safe." Sort of. "You lost control of your truck. I'm taking you to the hospital."

The young woman tried to speak, but no sound came out of her mouth. Edward spotted her bag, cell phone, and light-weight jacket, and grabbed them.

"Anything else you need from here?"

She pointed a trembling finger at the keys in the ignition, which he took and dropped into her bag. He heard James deciding he would look up the woman's vehicle registration to find out where she lived.

"Keep away from her, James," he growled under his breath, knowing that the other vampire would hear him.

"OK, freak, she's your snack. Or are you planning to take her as a pet?" sneered the other vampire. Edward felt James run off, but knew that this wasn't the end of it. After wrapping her in her jacket, he gingerly picked up the woman and rapidly climbed the embankment to his car, careful not to jostle her.

"I'm going to put you in the back seat, OK? Can you hold this pad to your head?" She nodded shakily.

Now that she was awake, he had to move at a frustratingly human speed. His instincts were screaming at him to get her somewhere safe, away from James. He'd seen his mind. James lived for the thrill of the hunt, and Edward, by protecting this human, had just made the game exponentially more interesting.

He quickly slid into the driver's seat and started the engine before looking back at the woman. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she murmured.

He didn't miss her wince at the pain from her ribs. "I'm going to take you to the hospital, and phone a tow truck. Anyone you'd like me to call for you?"

She shook her head. "Who are you? What happened?" she asked as Edward pulled onto the highway. Her voice was low and shaky.

He smiled at her in the rearview mirror. "Oh, sorry. I'm Edward Cullen. I'm just starting my pediatric residency at Seattle Children's. A…deer…ran in front of my car. I managed to stop, but you came round the corner, didn't see me in time, and lost control of your truck." She looked dazed. "Good thing you reacted so quickly, or my car would be an accordion right now."

"I'm Bella Swan," she told him. Her voice was stronger now. "I'm a grad student at UW." Edward heard her swallow nervously before she said in a rush, "I really appreciate your taking the time to come to my rescue. Normally I would have asked you to leave me with my truck. I could have called 911 myself. It's just that…"

_Taking the time_ to come to her rescue? What nonsense was this? "It's just that…?" he prompted her.

She looked embarrassed. "For some reason I had the feeling that I needed to get away from there. Silly, I know…"

Perceptive. "Not silly," he responded. "There was no way I'd have left you there by yourself."

It was true, even if James hadn't been there. There was something about this young woman that made him want to protect her. In spite of his instinct to run from the siren call of her blood before he did something stupid, he stayed. Of course, staying could also qualify as something stupid.

They drove in silence until they reached the city limits. Edward kept trying to read her thoughts, but it was like pushing against a wall. Who _was_ she, and how was she keeping him out? She was definitely human…wasn't she?

"The hospital is up ahead," he informed her at last. "Any place in particular where you want your truck towed?"

"Would you mind calling 555-6254? It's the body shop where my friend works." Bella sounded as if her thoughts were far away. Oddly enough, she didn't appear to be going into shock. Wouldn't a normal human be in shock by now? Instead, she was holding the pad to her forehead and looking around.

Edward made the call, pulled up at the emergency entrance, and carried Bella inside. She jumped when his hands touched her skin.

"What is it?" he asked. Damn, she must have realized how cold his skin was.

"Nothing," she muttered.

Edward got her a wheelchair, helped her make quick work of the registration process, and sat down with her to wait. Bella looked at him in surprise.

"You really don't have to stay, Edward. I'll be fine now. I can phone my roommate. You must already be late for something."

"I want to stay." He smiled down at her. "Unless you'd prefer that I leave, of course."

"No." He heard her heart rate spike. This puzzled him. She had just been injured in a crash, witnessed a strange man literally rip the door off her truck, got into a car with said stranger, and was now sitting in a hospital emergency room. So the only thing that caused her to panic was admitting the she didn't want him to leave? Perhaps she was functioning on "autopilot" earlier. He'd seen several patients emotionally shut down in traumatic circumstances.

"Isabella Swan?" The nurse called Bella's name, and she was promptly wheeled back into one of the rooms. Edward tagged along behind.

_Hmmm…_ the nurse was thinking. _Now I see why the registration desk said to speed this one along. Too bad he's not the patient._

Edward cringed away from the images in the woman's head of himself in a hospital gown with the back open. Vampires were naturally attractive to their prey, as long as they didn't get too close. He had lived long enough to realize that he was considered handsome, even among other vampires. In his case, a diet of animal blood seemed to have taken away the factor that caused humans to be afraid of him. Not that he couldn't be scary when he wanted, he thought dryly.

Focusing on Bella, he carefully lifted her from the wheelchair into the hospital bed, where the nurse made short work of taking her vitals. She took care to inform him of her findings in detail. Bella, Edward noticed, looked… amused?

"You're so calm," he commented after the nurse left. "I take it this is familiar to you?"

Bella nodded with a rueful smile. "I'm very clumsy. Emergency rooms and I are old friends."

She was clumsy? She looked too delicate to be clumsy. Again he wondered about her clothes. Had she suddenly lost a lot of weight? Why? He understood that she was a poor, probably overworked graduate student, but surely she could buy something that fit her? Perhaps they belonged to her roommate?

Edward studied the monitors, aware out of the corner of his eye that Bella was surreptitiously observing him. Again, he wondered what thoughts were going through her silent mind.

"Edward?" she whispered, "can I ask you a question?"

He turned to her with a questioning look. "Of course."

"What are you?"

Edward's eyes widened in surprise. "Like I said, I'm a new resident at Seattle Children's. In fact, I start there next week. Why do you ask?"

Bella shook her head. "That's not what I meant."

Fortunately, he was saved from answering by the arrival of the doctor. He was roughly in his fifties, balding with salt-and-pepper hair and a friendly disposition. "Hello Isabella," he greeted her. "It would be nice to see you under different circumstances sometime."

She grimaced. "Hello again, Dr. Mack."

He leaned closer to her and stage-whispered, "I see you brought your boyfriend this time."

The blood from the patient in the room next door didn't bother Edward, but for some reason Bella's blush made his internal monster take notice. He hastily shoved it back into the recesses of his mind and concentrated on Dr. Mack's thoughts.

The doctor was taking in Bella's condition with a critical eye._ She's too thin,_ he thought worriedly. _She wasn't like this six months ago_. He quickly scanned her chart. _This is the fourth time she's been in here in the past eighteen months._ Edward's suspicions about those scars were confirmed.

"He's not my boyfriend," she protested, thoroughly embarrassed. "I tried to stop suddenly and lost control of my truck. He pulled me out and brought me here. Uh…his name is Edward."

"Ah, so he's your Good Samaritan." He shot Edward a smile. "Pleased to meet you, Edward." He gently pulled the pad away from the gash on Bella's forehead and examined the wound.

"Nice bit of first aid. Looks like a clean wound." He glanced at the torn hem of Edward's shirt. "Seems he gave you the shirt off his back, too," he grinned, shining a light in Bella's eyes and indicating for her to watch his finger. "No concussion by the look of it, but we'll do a CT scan just in case. Any dizziness, nausea?"

Edward spoke up. "She was unconscious for over two minutes."

"Hmmm…" Dr. Mack frowned. "Anything else hurt?"

"Everything," she groaned. "I think I bounced off the steering wheel when I crashed. My ribs hurt when I breathe in."

"Then we'll need a chest X-ray to go with that CT scan, Isabella. A touch of whiplash too, I suspect."

Edward turned away so that Dr. Mack could examine Bella's chest and back. He had no intention of being a voyeur, but he worried about the extent of Bella's injuries. The bruising he saw reflected in the doctor's mind made him wince.

One of the nurses appeared with a suture tray, and a few minutes later the wound was stitched closed. Dr. Mack scribbled something in his notes, and moved the curtain aside to leave. "Radiology will be by to get you. If your images look good, you should be out if here in less than an hour. I'll be back to check on you then." He disappeared with a fatherly smile.

"So I take it they know you here," Edward teased.

Bella smiled wryly. "This is my fourth time. Like I said, I'm clumsy." She hesitated, her smile disappearing. "Is the gash that bad? I hate blood, although you'd think I'd be used to my own by now."

Ironic, thought Edward, given his own reaction to her blood. He shook his head with a smile. "It's only about two inches long, and it's horizontal, which is good. He did a nice job with the suturing, too."

Soon Bella and her bed were wheeled to radiology. She eyed Edward as he followed behind, biting her lower lip. Bella's face was like an open book. She felt guilty for making him stay. While they waited outside the room, she voiced her concerns.

"You don't have to hang around here, you know," she told him. "As soon as I'm done, I'll phone my roommate, and she'll come to get me. She's used to it by now." Bella grimaced. This was probably true.

Edward frowned. He should use this opportunity to escape, especially as it was being offered for the second time, but something about this young woman held him. Was it the tantalizing scent of her blood, her mysteriously silent mind? After more than a hundred years of abstaining from human blood, why did hers affect him now? She was an enigma. He wanted to find out more about her.

"Bella," he responded, slightly hesitant. "If you don't mind, I'd like to wait with you until your roommate arrives. In fact, I can drive you home myself if you like."

"Why?"

Edward looked at her in surprise. He wasn't even sure that he knew the answer to that. It was time for evasive maneuvers.

"Maybe I just want to spend more time with a beautiful woman," he smiled.

Bella huffed, but smiled mischievously. "In that case, you're in the wrong spot. The nurse went back that way." She indicated the direction with her head, and abruptly winced at the movement.

He grinned. "Maybe I'm talking about the radiologist?"

Fortunately, Bella was saved from answering by one of the radiologists. Male. She shot Edward a teasing glance, and he rolled his eyes at her.

Inside the office, Edward surreptitiously watched the images on the screen as they were taken. No broken or cracked ribs, no head trauma. Thank God. It wasn't long before Dr. Mack gave Bella the "all clear" to go home, along with several admonishments to rest and not do anything foolish. Good thing he didn't know that she was already doing something foolish by allowing a vampire to keep her company.

Edward wheeled her outside the hospital doors so that she could phone her roommate. He walked a short distance away to give Bella some semblance of privacy. Pretending to admire the hospital's tiny garden, he noticed Bella frown slightly as the call went to voice mail.

"Hi, I can't come to the phone right now," a friendly female voice answered. "Leave a message!"

"Hey Angela, it's me. I'm at the emergency room. Yeah, I know…again! I was wondering if you could give me a ride home, but if I don't hear from you in ten minutes I'll just call a cab. No big deal. Bye!"

Bella closed her phone and called to Edward. "OK, all set."

Edward's golden-brown eyes narrowed at he walked back to her. "So your roommate is coming to get you?"

"Yup. She'll be here in a few minutes." Bella bit her bottom lip before forcing herself to smile. "Thanks again for rescuing me. I've taken so much of your time today. You probably need to be getting home now."

"My pleasure, Bella." Even if he hadn't been able to hear the message she left, he would have been able to tell that Bella was lying. She was clearly trying to get rid of him. Who could blame her? Most adult humans unconsciously realized that there was something "off" about him, something that made them nervous. Bella, however, seemed to lack this natural self-preservation instinct. Instead, she genuinely seemed to think that she was being a nuisance.

Nothing could be further from the truth. He'd never been so intrigued by a human before. He still felt oddly protective of her. On the other hand, he didn't want her to think he was some sort of stalker. Perhaps he could secretly follow her home, to make sure that James didn't show up there. Great, twenty-four seven covert surveillance of her house. _That_ didn't seem stalkerish at all.

"Let me give you my number, in case you need anything," he offered. After a brief hesitation, Bella pulled out her cell phone and clicked to the contact list.

"Just add yourself here, please," she requested shyly, that quick blush staining her cheeks again. He could see that she thought he was being polite, and had no intention of calling him. Edward typed in his information and was just handing her the phone when two text messages arrived in rapid succession.


	2. Chapter 2: Getting to Know You

_**OK, so Edward's day isn't turning out quite as he anticipated. Let's see how Bella's is going.  
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_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

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_**CHAPTER 2: Getting to Know You**_

Bella had been peacefully driving, admiring the changing leaves and listening to their soft rustle. She loved the Cascades in the fall. Then it happened. She remembered seeing the shiny silver Volvo, slamming on her breaks, and her old red Chevy truck spinning its way off the road and down the embankment. The next thing she knew, someone shoved her four-ton vehicle several feet uphill and literally tore her door off its hinges. She suddenly found herself staring into the frantic golden-brown eyes of the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen in her life. His skin was like alabaster. The dim sunlight filtered through his slightly wild bronze hair. Still dazed, she briefly wondered if she was dead and this was an angel.

"It's all right," he told her softly, "you're safe."

He sounded like an angel, too. But if she were dead, surely she wouldn't be feeling this pain in her head and chest. Would she? Wait, he was asking her, in that lovely velvet voice, if she needed anything from the truck. Unless she was allowed to take possessions with her into the afterlife, she was definitely still alive.

His carrying her to his car as if she weighed nothing, and the subsequent drive to the hospital passed in a blur. She remembered that his name was Edward, and that he was a new pediatric resident. She must have mentioned something about herself as well. By the time they were in the waiting room, her head began to clear. Acute humiliation made its way to the foreground. Never mind that he was stopped on the road. She'd almost hit him…heck, she would have killed him if she hadn't swerved…and now he was feeling responsible for her somehow. She needed to tell him that she was fine, and that he was free to go about his business.

She was embarrassed enough that she was attracted to the guy. I mean, she thought, what normal female _wouldn't _be? It didn't help that Dr. Mack teased her about him being her boyfriend. She couldn't even look at him then. She didn't want to see the horrified look that he would surely have on his face.

He was so very…nice. At least, he seemed to be. She'd tried to give him opportunities to leave gracefully, but he wouldn't take them.

"I'd like to wait with you until your roommate arrives," he told her after one attempt. "In fact, I can drive you home myself if you like."

Seriously? Good looks, charming, _and_ nice? Too good to be true. It wasn't as if she were beautiful. Bella had no illusions about her looks. She was far too skinny, even boney, her once shiny and healthy hair now lank around her hollowed-out face. Maybe that was it. He was a doctor, and he felt sorry for her.

She mentally sighed. Yup, Edward was definitely too good to be true. There had to be something wrong with him. Maybe the "new resident" thing was just a story. What if he was really a rapist or something, and he wanted to know where she lived? No, she didn't think he intended to harm her. Her instincts were usually good in that respect, and while she did think there was something odd about him, no little red flags were going up in her mind.

"Why?"

Edward looked truly surprised at her question.

"Maybe I just want to spend more time with a beautiful woman," he smiled. Ah, that lovely crooked smile! It was designed to make stronger women than herself dissolve into a puddle at his feet. She couldn't help responding to his bantering tone, and watched his eyes twinkle at her teasing.

So here she was now, outside the hospital, lying about her friend coming to pick her up. Bella was pretty sure that Angela was in class.

_Drat_, she thought to herself_. He said he wanted to wait until Angela came. How do I get rid of him so that he doesn't see me leave in a cab?_

OK, one last try. "Thanks again for rescuing me. I've taken so much of your time today. You probably need to be getting home now."

"My pleasure, Bella." Ah, good, she did it! Uh-oh, he wasn't walking away yet. Now he was giving her his phone number. She tried to be nonchalant about it, but her fingers brushed his as he handed her back her cell phone. A tingle shot up her arm when her fingers came in contact with his cold ones. She wasn't sure if his startled expression was because he felt it too, or due to the two text messages beeping in.

She checked the first message. It was from Angela, apologizing that she couldn't pick her up, and offering to call her boyfriend Ben if Bella needed help.

Bella looked up to find Edward much closer than she expected. He was bending slightly over her wheelchair.

"I did offer to take you home, you know," he reminded her gently, that crooked smile emerging again. "You're a terrible liar."

She frowned at him, and sighed. "Edward, you have done more than enough for me, and I'm very thankful that you brought me to the hospital and stayed with me the whole time. But you don't have to feel responsible for me. I'm a big girl and take care of myself from here. Surely you have better things to do than…"

Bella glanced down at the second text message, from her friend Alice.

**_Ang and I are in class. Let him take u home. His friendship is important._**

She gaped at it for a second. How did she…? Interfering, clairvoyant pixie.

"No," Edward was grinning, "nothing better to do. In fact, this is my first day here. Truthfully, it would be nice to have a friend here." He paused. "You really should go home and rest, and take some of those pain meds Dr. Mack prescribed. I can get you there faster than a cab can."

His smile faded when Bella didn't respond, and he stepped away. "Ah, I see. I'm making you nervous, aren't I?"

"Yes."

The phone beeped again.

**_Quit over-thinking and let him drive u home! I'll be there in 40 mins._**

Bella rolled her eyes at the phone. There was no repressing Alice. Edward must have wondered at her amused expression.

"Bella," he told her seriously. "I promise not to harm you in any way. Really. It's my fault that you crashed, and it bothers me to see you struggling when there is something I can easily do to help."

Oh great, she thought. I'm his charity project. His topaz-coloured eyes regarded her intently, almost pleadingly. Something about him seemed familiar. Golden eyes, pale cold skin, exceptional beauty, inhuman strength…

Another text from Alice. ****

**_Go ahead, ask him_.**

Bella wheeled her chair to a corner of the entrance where she knew they wouldn't be overheard. Edward followed, clearly curious. She gathered her courage together and looked at him steadily.

"I would like to be your friend too, and I believe you when you say that you won't harm me. However, I'd like you to answer a couple of questions, and if they are too difficult then I promise that you can turn away and I won't mind. OK?"

He looked suddenly tense, frowning slightly. "OK. What do you want to know?"

"You really are a doctor, an R1 at Seattle Children's?"

"Yes. You can ask Dr. Mack to check it for you, if you like."

Bella nodded. "I know that you pushed my truck uphill, and I saw you rip that door off with your bare hands." She forestalled him when he opened his mouth to interrupt.

"Don't even think of giving me some crap about adrenaline and hitting my head. I know what I saw. You're not quite human, are you?"

She watched his eyes widen and darken slightly, his jaw clenching, and could tell that he was struggling.

"Bella," he told her severely, "you were probably hallucinating. It's very normal for people who went through what you did."

"I won't tell anyone. My friend seems to think that I can trust you, and let you drive me home."

Bella saw that she had truly confused him, so she explained further. "You see, my friend has a gift…precognition." She watched Edward carefully, searching his face for any signs that he thought she was some sort of lunatic. _Perhaps I've finally found something that would drive him away_, she mused wryly. _Maybe I should tell him that the mothership would come to beam me up_. Oddly enough, all he did was raise his eyebrows slightly.

"She sees the future?" he asked, sounding more interested than disturbed.

"She sees subjective visions of the future," corrected Bella, "based on the decisions that people make. If someone changes their mind, her visions change as well. So, as I said, Alice sees that I can trust you."

He didn't respond. In fact, he looked slightly pained. All this was probably too much for him. He was just being nice, and she'd dumped all this paranormal stuff on him. He was probably regretting helping her, thinking that she was some sort of psycho chick.

Bella looked down at the cell phone in her lap, letting her hair fall to hide her face. She started tapping a message to Alice.

"What are you doing?" the velvet voice asked, nearer than she anticipated.

"Telling Alice that I'll wait for her here."

"Why?"

She looked up to find that he had his hands on the wheelchair's armrests, leaning down to see her face. His beautiful eyes were gentle.

"Because I'm probably freaking you out right now."

There was that crooked smile again. He was so close to her that she could smell his honey-and-sunshine scent. "You'd be surprised how well I handle 'weird.' Very little freaks me out."

Yup, he thought she was nuts. What was she doing, babbling on about psychic friends and telling him he wasn't human? Maybe she had a concussion after all. She took a deep breath.

"You just wanted a friend in town. I'm not a good friend for you, Edward. I seem to be a magnet for weirdness and trouble."

To her surprise, he chuckled darkly. "You have no idea. Actually, I suspect that you're a magnet for danger." Then he sighed and became more serious.

"I'd still like to be your friend, Bella. You offered to let me walk away if your questions became too difficult, and so I give you the same option," His eyes were pained again. "You are far more perceptive than I anticipated. I'll answer what I can. In fact, the answer to your first question is…no."

Was he just humouring her? Did she imagine the whole thing? Bella sucked in her breath. "You are something more than human?"

"Something less."

"At first I thought I was dead, and that you were an angel," she admitted sheepishly.

Edward's mouth twisted. "I'm not an angel. Quite the opposite, in fact. Please don't keep asking, though. I can't tell you anything more."

The sliding doors behind them opened, and several people started crowding the sidewalk, including the nurse responsible for Bella. Having no desire to continue this conversation within earshot of others, Bella suggested,

"If you still aren't ready to run away screaming, perhaps we should continue this in your car?"

Her companion grinned, then stood up and indicated to the nurse that he would pull his car around to the entrance. Within minutes, he had lifted her into the passenger seat and they were on their way to her apartment.

Bella gave him some brief directions, then settled into thoughtful silence.

"What?" he teased, "No more questions?"

She gave him a sidelong glance. "Actually, I have several, and a couple of theories."

"Oh? About what?"

"First, why were you stopped in the road?"

He cocked one eyebrow. "I told you, a deer jumped in front of my car."

"There aren't any deer in that area at this time of year, Edward."

He frowned. "Then it must have been some other kind of animal. It was very fast, and I was concentrating on not going off the road."

Bella decided to let it go for now. "OK, pull into the next parking lot on the right. That's my apartment building, number 1705. I'm on the 4th floor."

He eyed the multi-storey red brick cuboid with concern. "Is there an elevator?"

She grinned, "Yes Dr. Worrywart, there is."

Edward parked and turned off the engine. Bella's cell phone beeped again, and she chuckled when she saw the message.

"Alice?" he inquired smilingly. She showed him the phone's screen.

**_Just ask him. He'll give u a truthful answer. Invite him up and don't let him leave 'til I get there!_**

He chuckled. "Well, that's to the point."

"You can still leave, you know. I'm not holding you prisoner."

"I told you, I'm not running away unless you tell me to. Or if something I say or do makes _you_ run away screaming."

He got out of the car and went round to her side. As he was opening her door, he suddenly hesitated, scanning the area around the apartment. Bella could have sworn she heard a low growl.

"Edward, what is it?"

He continued to look around, then frowned down at her. "Nothing. Let's get you inside."

She refused to let him carry her to the elevator, so he had to content himself with walking slowly beside her. Inside her apartment, she instructed him to sit down on the slightly worn tan sofa with its profusion of brightly-coloured pillows.

"You have a very relaxing apartment," commented Edward. "Who took the photos?" He pointed to the several enlarged photographs of rocky beaches and lush forests that graced the walls.

"Angela, my roommate. She's an amazing photographer. We went to high school together in Forks, about three hours from here. The pictures are from around that area. Would you like something to eat or drink? We have some lemonade and lasagna in the 'fridge."

He declined. Bella quickly washed her hands and started opening cupboards, wincing at the pain in her ribs as she stretched up.

"Here," Edward offered, quickly at her side. "You shouldn't be doing that. Just tell me what you want."

"Only a glass of water. Are you sure you don't something to drink? Tea? Are you hungry or thirsty?"

She was stunned to see his eyes suddenly darken to black, and he moved back to the sofa even more quickly than he'd come. He was staring at the floor, seemingly holding his breath with his fists clenched.

"Edward, are you OK?" He looked like he was in pain. "What can I do?"

He held up one finger, indicating for her to give him a moment. The finger reminded her of something. With a gasp, she ran to the cupboard under the sink and grabbed the bleach. She then saturated a paper towel with it, rapidly scrubbed down the sink, threw the offending towel into the trash, and quickly knotted the trash bag closed. When she finished, she looked up to find Edward regarding her with a strange expression on his face.

"Is that better?" she asked.

"Yes," he responded slowly. It looked like he was starting to breathe again. "What…?"

Bella hastily interrupted him. "I'm sorry. I was in too much of a hurry this morning, and sliced my finger while I was cutting a bagel. I used a paper towel to staunch the bleeding, and threw it away afterward. It was still in the open trash can." She eyed him worriedly. "I hope the bleach helped to cover the smell. Are you OK now?"

Edward was literally gaping at her. "What made you think…how did you…you can't know…"

She imagined that he was rarely at a loss for words, but this time she'd managed to completely astound him. Good. Taking a deep breath, she explained.

"Remember that in the hospital I asked you what you were? I told you I had a couple of theories, and now you've confirmed one of them."

Edward was sitting perfectly still, staring at her, his jaw clenched again. But this time his eyes were back to their usual amber colour.

"I should have put it together sooner," she continued. "Superhuman strength, inhuman beauty, eyes that change colour. Your skin is pale, hard, and cold. You refused anything to eat or drink, and your eyes went black when you smelled the blood in the kitchen. How you managed to carry me earlier, then drive me to the hospital, bleeding as I was, I don't know. You must have incredible control."

"I held my breath," he whispered. "Normally it doesn't bother me. You know what I am?"

Bella nodded with a sigh. "Instead of asking you earlier, 'What are you?' perhaps I should have asked 'What kind of vampire are you?'"

She could tell he was reeling. He was staring at her, his expression unfathomable.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Of you? No. If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it by now."

"I almost killed you." She heard the pain in his voice. "Several times today. I _did_ want to kill you."

"Not intentionally," Bella argued. "Your eyes are golden instead of red, so you don't drink human blood. You couldn't be a doctor otherwise." She faltered slightly. "I mean, I can tell that you are _good_. You won't harm me."

Bella moved slowly toward Edward, not wanting to upset him. He was still sitting rigid on the sofa, incredulous but calm.

"I am very dangerous to you, Bella. Even if I don't kill you myself, the rulers of my kind may do so because you know about me. You can't tell anyone else."

"I wasn't planning to." She was standing about three feet away from him now.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"Do you want to leave?" she countered.

"No. In fact, I'm almost glad that you went off the road today." He suddenly realized how that sounded. "I didn't mean that I'm glad that you're injured…"

Bella grinned. "I know what you meant. I don't want you to leave either."

Edward stiffened again, his head turned slightly toward the front door.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"Alice is on her way up."


	3. Chapter 3: Alice

_Sorry for the long delay, folks. I'm waiting for this story to be validated elsewhere, and didn't want to get too far ahead._

_Thank you for the amazing reviews! For those of you who are wondering how Bella knows about vampires, read on!_

_DISCLAIMER: All characters here are the property of their respective owners, and no copyright infringement is intended.  
_

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**CHAPTER 3: Alice**

Edward wondered idly if vampires could go into shock. How the hell did she know so much about vampires? Bella looked human. She certainly _smelled_ human. But her mind was silent, and for some reason she still wasn't afraid of him, even when she knew that he wanted to kill her. She indicated that she _trusted_ him. What was happening here?

"I don't want you to leave either," she told him. Her self-preservation instincts were clearly all wrong.

Suddenly he detected a strange, sweet scent. Another vampire? He was instantly on the alert. It wasn't James, but it wasn't his mate either. How many vampires were there in Seattle, for crying out loud? The instinct to protect Bella kicked in again.

Abruptly, a high, melodic voice sounded in his head. "_Don't worry, Mind-reader_," it teased. "_It's just Alice, Bella's friend. I'll be there in two minutes and twenty seconds_."

Soon, Bella was opening the door and a lively pixie-like woman bounced in and _very_ gently hugged her friend. She looked to be about twenty years old, with short spiky black hair. Trendy too, judging by her skinny jeans, art-print T-shirt, and short jacket with the sleeves pushed up.

"How are you feeling, Bella?" she asked.

"Fine."

Alice rolled her eyes. Golden eyes. Like his. "You always say 'fine' when it's bad."

She looked directly at Edward, who was now protectively standing behind Bella. He knew that she'd taken in the gash on Bella's forehead and the bruising, and was worried about a concussion. "_It could have been much worse_," she thought to him. Images of James flashed through her mind.

He inclined his head in a slight, grim nod. She then stuck out her hand to him. "You must be Edward," she said brightly. "I'm Alice. It's nice to finally meet you."

He raised his eyebrows in amusement, returning the handshake, as Bella suppressed a chuckle. "Alice has been one of my closest friends ever since I moved to Seattle four years ago. Edward, I suspect that you two have a lot in common."

Alice was regarding him quizzically. "Are you OK?" she inquired. "You seem a little dazed."

He gave himself a mental shake. "This whole afternoon has been somewhat…surreal."

"I'm not surprised," responded the pixie-like vampire sympathetically. She looked back and forth between Bella and Edward.

"Angela will be here in about twenty minutes. I asked her to run an errand for Bella because I wanted the three of us to have a talk before she arrived." She waved her hand artfully toward the sofa. "Shall we sit down?"

Bella and Edward obligingly sat, while Alice perched on the coffee table. "Well," he commented dryly, "At least I now know how she recognized what I am."

Both women smiled faintly. "I'd like to straighten out a few things here," Alice remarked, her tone abruptly business-like.

"Edward, I saw you appear in Bella's life a few seconds before the accident." _Actually_, she thought to him, _it was when James made the decision to attack her._ _When will you tell her about James?_

"Soon," he murmured, too low for Bella to hear.

"_I've been wanting to meet you and your family for several years, but the timing was never right. You are all animal-eaters like me, right?"_

Edward's eyes widened slightly. This was getting more surreal by the minute. He nodded slightly.

"Bella says that you see subjective visions of the future," he commented.

"Yes." Alice looked at him pointedly. "Do you also have a gift?"

He sighed. He wasn't used to being put on the spot like this. He was a vampire, superior mental functioning, top of the food chain. Yeah, right.

A slight frown marred Bella's smooth forehead. Edward knew she wasn't going to like this.

"Well, yes," he admitted. "I can read minds."

Bella looked momentarily panicked. "You can _what_?" He was right, she didn't like it.

"With the exception of yours."

"_Seriously?_" Alice thought to him. "_You can't read hers?"_

He smiled ruefully. "Seriously, Alice."

Bella was digesting this piece of news. "Why not? I always suspected there was something wrong with me."

"Bella," laughed Alice, "only you would be confronted by a vegetarian vampire who can read minds, and think that something is wrong with _you_!"

Bella smiled, rolling her eyes. "There must be. I don't know anyone else who seems to be running into vampires all the time."

"Like I said, Bella, you're a danger magnet." Edward was frowning again. In the vampire world, there was only one rule – to keep the existence of vampires a secret from humans. The Volturi, the vampire "ruling class," would kill both the human and all vampires involved if they caught wind of it.

"I didn't tell her Edward," Alice volunteered.

"Then how…?"

In response, Bella raised her lifted her hand, palm up, and pulled back the thick strap of her watch. Under it was a pale, semi-circular scar. Edward sucked in his breath. It was a vampire bite.

"It happened about a month after I arrived here. I was walking back to my apartment one night when a student with long red hair stopped me to ask a question. The rest was something of a blur. All I remember was that she dragged me behind a building and started to go for my neck when Alice suddenly appeared. Alice managed to get her away from me, but not before she bit my wrist."

Edward was horrified. Bella had been attacked by one vampire, and almost attacked by two more today, including himself. What was it about her that seemed to draw them? Perhaps her blood was as tantalizing to them as it was to him.

The thought made him groan and run a hand through his already tousled bronze hair. "Oh God, Bella. I'm so sorry you went through that."

"Fate seems to be sending guardian vampires to her just when she needs them," Alice commented. "The female ran off. I tried tracking her later, but she disappeared."

One detail puzzled him. "How is it that Bella wasn't changed?"

"I sucked the venom out."

He looked at Alice incredulously. "That would take an unbelievable amount of self-control." His respect for Alice grew exponentially.

The tiny woman merely shrugged. "Bella is my friend. Besides, I'd never tasted human blood before that. Have you?"

Edward suddenly felt ashamed, and looked at the cream-coloured rug under his feet. "Yes."

This peaked Bella's curiosity. "Really? But you have so much control now."

Recalling the incident in the kitchen not half an hour earlier, he felt even worse. "Not as much as I thought, apparently," he told her grimly. He forced himself to look up at her. "There's something about your blood, Bella. I've never smelled anything so…tempting. How could you be so calm, having already lived through a vampire attack, knowing that I almost killed you?"

A shock ran though Edward's body when Bella laid a comforting hand on his arm. It wasn't painful, just warm. Pleasant, in fact.

"You didn't," she told him softly. "And before that, you carried me, bleeding, and drove me to the hospital. In fact, I don't think you'll ever harm me, even unintentionally. I trust you."

Alice was watching their exchange, a satisfied smile on her face. Before Edward could say anything, he heard a familiar voice in his mind, saying Bella's name.

"_I hope Bella is OK_," it thought. He surmised it was Angela. The tone mirrored that of the recorded voice he'd heard through Bella's cell phone. Listening to her plans for making Bella her favorite blueberry muffins to help her feel better, he could tell that she was a genuinely nice woman. Bella was fortunate to have friends like Angela and Alice, even if one of them was a vampire.

"Angela is here," he informed the others. "Do you think I should leave?"

"No!" Bella said quickly. "I mean…um…unless you have somewhere else you need to be." She was clearly regretting her impulsive response. "I don't want to keep you. You've wasted so much time on me already today."

That made his frown return. Why did this intelligent, interesting, attractive young woman insist on putting herself down all the time? "Will you please stop thinking that I want to be somewhere else? I like being with you."

There it was, that blush again. She really did look lovely when she did that. He hastily squashed the impulse to gently trace her cheekbone with his fingers. For some reason, his internal monster wasn't even taking notice any more. Hopefully, this was a good sign.

Soon they heard the key turn in the lock, and Angela, her arms full, pushed open the door with her toe. Edward was immediately beside her.

"Here," he offered, "let me help." He grabbed all four grocery bags and put them on the counter. Angela blinked at him, stunned.

"_Wow_," he heard her think. "_Nothing like walking into your home and having a gorgeous guy help you with your bags. This must be Edward._"

"Thanks. Hi guys," she greeted them brightly. "Bella, how are you? I'm soooo sorry that I wasn't able to pick you up!"

Bella grinned, observing her friend's expression as she looked at Edward questioningly. "No problem. Ang, this is Edward. He drove me home."

"Lucky girl," Bella's friend grinned, pushing her long, light-brown hair out of her eyes before shaking Edward's hand.

"_Hmm, cold hands, warm heart_."

Cold hands, dead heart, corrected Edward silently. He liked her immediately. At almost six feet, she dwarfed both Bella and Alice. Statuesque, he decided, with light brown hair and attractive, kind brown eyes. Not as lovely and enticing as Bella's, of course. She was also very open, the kind of person who didn't feel the need to hide anything.

Angela was asking Bella for details of the accident, and so her friend launched into the story once again. She's making more of my intervention than I deserve, he thought. He suddenly remembered that Bella never had her cup of tea, and got up to make it for her.

Alice followed him to the kitchen, giving him instructions as to how Bella liked her tea and setting up the mugs. Angela noticed the preparations, thinking that she should make herself one as well. Edward picked the details from her mind, and started boiling the water.

"We need to work together to keep her safe," Alice began in a voice too low for humans to hear. "I see the red-headed female, the one who attacked Bella, running with James. She's his mate. James won't give up, will he?"

"Not until he captures his prize," he told her grimly. "This is all a game for him. He was here earlier. I could smell him outside in the parking lot. With us protecting her, the chase is all the more interesting."

Alice looked pensive, playing out different scenarios in her mind. Edward followed each of them with interest. "Unless something changes drastically, we don't have a choice," she stated.

He nodded in understanding, seeing the only vision that didn't result in Bella's death. "We have to kill them both."

"Will you tell her?"

Edward looked over at Bella, happily chatting with Angela, and sighed. "Yes. She needs to know, so that she keeps her guard up."

Alice eyed him thoughtfully as she put teabags in the mugs. "And how do you envision your role in her life?"

Edward knew the question was coming, but he still wasn't prepared for it. He hadn't thought about his relationship with Bella beyond keeping her away from James. She didn't seem averse to having vampire friends, he thought wryly.

"I'd like to be her friend, if she'll have me," he admitted.

"Nothing more?" prompted the pixie. Honestly, she could be quite intrusive.

"I'm a vampire and she's human. There can't be anything more between us. I'm too dangerous to her." There was a hint of bitterness in his tone, although he wasn't sure exactly why. Surely he didn't actually want "more" between them, did he? She was human, his natural prey. On the other hand, it would be nice to actually have the _option_ of a relationship with Bella. It was at times like these that he hated being restricted by his own inhumanity. He and his family tried so hard to fit into the human world. They were very good at it. Now he was reminded that no matter how much they tried, they could never fully be part of it. It was all a pretense.

Alice didn't say anything, and all Edward could get from her mind were images of some of her fashion sketches. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What are you hiding from me, Alice?"

"Nothing that you need to know now, Mr. Nosey." She grinned mischievously.

The kettle whistled, and Edward immediately poured the boiling water into the two mugs. The women in the living room had turned to look at him.

"_Ouch_," Angela mentally winced. "_That steam must be scalding his hands._"

Sure enough, his hands were wet where the steam condensed on his frigid skin. He quickly dried them and carried the ceramic mugs to the coffee table. Bella reached to pick up her drink and hastily snatched her hand away, shaking her fingers. Edward noticed that she'd burned herself and casually sat down next to her. He met her eyes and glanced down at his open hand on the sofa seat. With a small smile she took it.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Much better than an ice pack."

Edward smiled back down at her, for once glad of his cold skin.

"Thanks for the tea, Edward," Angela was saying. "Bella tells me that this is your first day here. Where are you living?"

"Actually, I don't have a place yet. I thought I'd stay in a hotel while I went apartment hunting."

"You can stay with Jasper and me," Alice promptly offered. Edward gathered from her mind that Jasper was her husband. Her thoughts toward the tall, honey-blond vampire were warm, so say the least. Having lived in a household with at least one mated vampire pair for ninety-odd years, he decided that he'd prefer the hotel.

Alice saw his decision, and grinned. "We'd try not to disturb you," she informed him cheekily.

Edward rolled his eyes, but returned the grin. This irritating little vampire was starting to grow on him.

Bella and Angela were having their own silent communication. He saw Angela look pointedly at his hand, still holding Bella's, and wink. Her hand twitched nervously in his, but she didn't let go.

"Ben's taking me to a concert tonight," she informed her audience. "We're getting back late, so I'd planned to spend the night at his apartment." Angela's blush was almost as bright as Bella's. No wonder they got along so well. "Maybe you can stay here? Bella doesn't like being in our apartment alone at night."

Clearly Bella was about to protest that she was fine on her own, but Alice forestalled her. "That's a great idea!"

"_And it would also let you keep an eye on her without you loitering outside her building like some sort of stalker," she added._

He could see that Bella was hesitating. Who wouldn't hesitate at the idea of a strange vampire being in their home whilst they slept? He slowly released her hand. It felt warm from her skin, and he resisted the temptation to see how the warmth felt against his cheek.

"I generally don't stay overnight in young ladies' apartments." If he could blush, he'd probably be redder than Bella at the moment. Another part of his vast vampire mind registered that his internal monster still hadn't taken notice. Interesting.

"Bella would probably be uncomfortable with a strange man sleeping here." It looked like she needed a graceful way out. "And what if she has a boyfriend who wouldn't approve?"

"_Way to be subtle about it, Edward_," Alice teased him. "_She doesn't have a boyfriend."_

Angela's thoughts were similar. She was trying to assess how Edward felt about Bella. In her mind there were two paths, just friends or romantic. The third, casual acquaintance went out the window when he made tea for her. Now, with the hand-holding and comment about the boyfriend, she was now putting him firmly on the "romantic interest" path. Edward had to admit that, if he were human, she would probably be right. But he wasn't human. Just as before, he found the impossibility of a romantic relationship with Bella depressing. As if she'd have you anyway, he admonished himself.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Bella was informing him shyly. "Actually, if it doesn't bother you, I'd like you to stay."

Edward's amber eyes widened. She wants to have a strange vampire in her apartment. What was _wrong_ with this woman?

"I mean," she added hurriedly, "You could have spent the afternoon finding somewhere to live, but instead you wasted it with me. I really don't like the idea of you having to stay in a hotel because you chose to be a Good Samaritan."

"Bella," he practically growled, "I keep telling you…"

"Good, it's all settled," Alice interrupted, shooting a warning glance at Edward. She stood up. "Well, I suppose I'd better get going. See you tomorrow, Bella!"

"_You'd better keep her safe, Mind-reader_."

Edward nodded slightly. He intended to.

"Oh, I just thought of something!" squeaked Angela suddenly. Bella almost spilled her tea. "There's a vacant apartment on the third floor! It's a two-bedroom. Would you be interested, Edward? Good apartments can be hard to find near the University at this time of year."

Edward's eyes flashed to Bella, trying to determine how she felt about having him living in the same building. She was smiling.

"The realtor's office is still open. You could probably take a look at it this evening." Yes, it seemed she liked the idea. So did he.

Thirty minutes and one phone call later, the realtor was unlocking the third floor apartment for them.

"It was just vacated last week, Dr. Cullen," the pleasant, middle-aged lady informed him. "You and Ms. Swan just look around. I'll wait here by the door."

"It's almost like mine," Bella commented, walking over to one of the bedroom windows that boasted a lovely view of Mt. Ranier. "In fact, it's at the opposite corner from mine, isn't it?

Edward scanned the small rooms with their hardwood floors and original structural detail. Like Bella's, it was a corner apartment. It had been tastefully remodeled, and he could see the Space Needle from one of the windows. The walls were newly painted, judging from the smell. Overall, it was a little smaller than he would have liked, but it was cozy…and he would be close to Bella.

"I'll take it," he announced, looking to Bella for confirmation. She smiled happily.

"Excellent, Dr. Cullen!" The realtor has obviously happy too. They hashed out the details quickly, then went up to Bella's apartment to sign the lease papers. Edward managed to charm the keys from the realtor immediately. After she left, he sank down on the sofa next to Bella with a sigh.

"Well, that's taken care of."

"You dazzled her," the chestnut-haired woman next to him accused.

"Hmm?"

"I said, you dazzled her. Surely you know the effect you have on people. She wasn't going to hand over the keys until tomorrow morning when the paperwork could be made official, but somehow you have them now."

"I dazzle people?" Yes, he supposed he did. The realtor's thoughts were somewhat incoherent when he looked pleadingly into her flat gray eyes. Hmmm…he wondered if he could do that to Bella, too.

"Do I dazzle you, too?" He had to know.

"Frequently," she admitted. Interesting. That may explain the short periods when she seemed to zone out and her heart rate increased. He just assumed that it was anxiety. That he could dazzle her pleased him, and he smiled at the thought.

"You're doing it again," protested Bella. Her heart did skip a beat as he watched her.

"Sorry," he grinned, unrepentant.

"Liar," she teased back. "You like that you can do that. It must be a vampire thing." She made a show of pondering the situation. "No, I think it's just an Edward thing."

He laughed. He was amazed that she could mention vampires so casually. They sat talking for over an hour. He asked Bella about why she was in graduate school, and what she was studying. She explained that she was doing her Master of Arts in English, along with the Master of Arts for Teachers. When he asked her why she was working toward both degrees, she told him thoughtfully,

"Well, at this point I'm not sure if I want to teach English in high school or community college, or go on for my Ph.D. so that I can teach at a university. I'm keeping my options open."

"So you're working on your thesis now?"

Bella grimaced. "Sort of. My advisor is trying to get me to enter the doctoral program, so we are building toward a potential dissertation. It's on social realism in fiction, from the perspective of the Brontës and other female authors. It's an expansion of my MA Essay, but it's going a bit slowly now, as I had to take off a couple of quarters for…family reasons."

"Family reasons? You have a family back home?"

Her face, which was so lively when she spoke about her research, abruptly closed. "I used to have a family."

Edward instantly regretted reminding her of something that was obviously painful.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's OK." She took a deep breath. "They all died this year." Edward took care to conceal his shock. _All_ of them were dead? How?

"Anna and I were so close, like sisters. A couple of years ago, Anna started exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia. She would hear voices…" Bella hesitated and ducked her head, her hair concealing her face. "Sorry. My mouth runs away with sometimes. I can't seem to shut up around you."

_Ah,_ Edward thought. _Here, perhaps, is a piece of the mystery._ He didn't want to push her to confide in him. She barely knew him, after all. On the other hand, he could smell the tears that she was hiding from him. Damn, now he'd made her cry. Some friend he was.

"Bella? Come here." He scooted over to her and gently folded her in his arms, mindful of her injured ribs. Oddly, she didn't seem to mind that his body was like cold marble. She sniffled, and he could feel the tears soaking through the front of his shirt. Holding her, rubbing her back soothingly, he didn't understand his fierce desire to take away anything that caused this innocent creature pain. It reminded him of when he discovered from the mind of a six-year-old patient that the boy's uncle was physically abusing him. Edward had immediately wanted to tear the monster apart.

Did he feel that same way about Bella that he felt about the child? This need to protect her from anything that would harm her? Feeling her shudder against him as she fought to control her emotions, he had to admit that he definitely didn't think of her as a child. He recalled his earlier conversation with Alice, when she asked him how he envisioned his role in Bella's life. Yes, he finally admitted, "more" than a friend was accurate. Impossible, but accurate.

"Oh God, Edward, your shirt! I'm so sorry." Bella winced as she tried to pull away from him. He let her go immediately. "I can't imagine what you think of me! I never cry all over people, especially men I've just met."

Edward smiled at her crookedly. "Feel feel to cry all over me any time you like. I don't mind. In fact, I think I like it."

He was rewarded with a watery laugh. "OK, enough of this maudlin stuff. I want to know about you. Do you have a family? I mean, a coven?"

Edward explained that his family, all "vegetarian" vampires, lived in a small town in Washington. He told her about his father Carlisle, who was a physician at a local hospital, his mother Esme, his brother Emmett, and his sister Rosalie, Emmett's wife. When she looked shocked at brother and sister being married, he explained that they weren't really siblings. They were all "sired," or changed, by Carlisle, and so were essentially adopted by him and Esme.

"So they are mates?" Bella asked. "Like Alice and Jasper?"

"Yes."

"So you are the odd man out? That must be difficult."

Edward grimaced. "Some times more than others. Vampires, especially mated ones, are quite, er…"

"Lascivious?" Bella offered helpfully, grinning.

He laughed. "I was going to say 'passionate,' but 'lascivious' is probably more precise in this case."

Suddenly Bella's stomach rumbled, and she quickly covered it with two hands as if to shush it. Edward glanced at the clock on the microwave. Eight o'clock already? Where had the time gone?

"Sounds like dinner time for the human," he teased, standing up and heading over to the kitchen. "What would you like?"

"Whatever you're having." Hmmm…Bella's mind was obviously occupied elsewhere. That sounded like an automatic answer she'd give Angela. He quirked an amused eyebrow at her and waited.

"Oh! Oops." Would he ever tire of seeing Bella blush? He doubted it. "Sorry Edward, that's not what I meant. Um, I'll just get myself a bowl of cereal."

"You need more sustenance than that," he protested. No wonder she was so thin. He performed a lightning-fast inventory of the cupboards. "How about chicken marsala?"

"A vampire can cook? A male vampire can cook?"

Edward grinned. He enjoyed surprising this captivating human. "Food Network," he responded with a wink, already producing the cutting board and dicing onions and mushrooms too fast for a human eye to follow.

It was one of the most pleasant evenings he'd spent in his long existence. Bella sat on a stool across the counter from him as he cooked, chatting with him while she devoured an apple.

The chicken was ready in twenty minutes, and they stayed where they were, Edward leaning casually against the counter, observing Bella as they talked. He never realized how interesting it was to watch a human eat. In fact, he was caught off-guard by the emotions that shot through him when she took her first bite and moaned with delight at the flavor.

"This is amazing!" she informed him, her eyes closed and a smile on her face as she chewed.

A while later, when she'd finished and insisted on washing her own plate, she turned to him and asked, "What about you? Don't you need to eat too? I don't have any large game stashed away, but…"

"I'm alright, Bella." In truth, he realized that if he intended to stay around Bella he needed to hunt. He just wasn't sure how he'd accomplish it. He didn't want to leave her alone.

As if on cue, Bella's cell phone rang.

"I'm coming over to spend some girl time with you," Alice announced. "No boys allowed. Tell Chef Edward to go play somewhere else for a while."


	4. Chapter 4:  Impasse

_Wow, already fourteen reviews! Thank you! _

_In this chapter, a bit more insight into Bella.  
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_DISCLAIMER: All characters here are the property of their respective owners, and no copyright infringement is intended.  
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**CHAPTER 4: Impasse**

Bella recalled the words of Patsy, the cheerful elderly admin in her department. "Honey, there ain't nothin' sexier than a man in the kitchen." Damn straight.

She watched Edward move gracefully around her tiny kitchen, occasionally humming to himself as he chopped, stirred, and sautéed. For the first time today, Bella was able to relax. Unfortunately, it also allowed her to pay more attention to how well Edward's light jeans and black T-shirt molded to his lean, muscular body. His torn shirt was neatly folder on arm of her sofa. Edward glanced up and noticed her staring at him, and gave her a funny smirk.

"What's making you blush this time?" he teased lightly.

_Mind running away with you again, Swan_? her inner voice taunted. Several times today, she was grateful that Edward couldn't read her mind.

"It's probably just the heat from the pasta boiling," she responded, hoping he wouldn't question her further. Thankfully, he changed the topic.

Bella was amazed at how well she and Edward got along. Although she desperately wished she could take back the horrendously embarrassing minutes when she'd cried all over him, she was truly enjoying her evening with him. He was extremely intelligent and well-read, with an easy manner and dry sense of humour. In fact, he was…well…perfect.

When she asked him why he chose to be a pediatrician, he spoke passionately of children's unquestioning acceptance of his "inhuman" traits, and how his ability to read their minds allowed him to provide them the care they needed. She listened incredulously as he described the thoughts of infants, which were mostly of images, sounds, and emotions. Infant cognition was something in which Bella had always been interested, and here she was practically getting a first-hand account. For him, the typical communication barrier between human children and adults was overcome thanks to his gift, and his heightened vampiric senses were often useful in diagnosis.

Based on what Alice told her earlier, she knew that Edward's throat must feel as if a red-hot poker were being shoved down it. Alice indicated that, because of the overwhelming appeal that her blood held for him, it would be much worse for Edward that it was for herself. Bella hated that he endured such pain just to be near her. She wondered why he even did it. Just because Alice said "his friendship is important" didn't mean that _her_ friendship was important to _him_. Perhaps he viewed it as some sort of personal challenge.

_Quit over-thinking and just enjoy it while it lasts_, her inner voice scolded.

When she finished eating and washed her plate, she noticed that Edward's eyes were a darker shade of amber than they'd been earlier. Almost brown, in fact. The purplish shadows under his eyes had also deepened. From experience with Alice, she knew that he needed to hunt.

"What about you?" she asked. "Don't you need to eat too? I don't have any large game stashed away, but…"

"I'm alright, Bella."

That was abrupt. He sounded almost angry. Maybe she'd reminded him that he was thirsty, and now being near her was making it even worse. She was about to apologize when her phone rang. Alice, of course.

"I'm coming over to spend some girl time with you," her friend announced. Oh lord. "Girl time" was Alice-ese for "Bella torture time." Visions of make-overs and wardrobe rehashing danced in her head. On the other hand, it would give Edward a chance to hunt, although why he didn't just go anyway she had no idea. She sighed. The things she did for friendship.

"OK Alice," groaned Bella good-naturedly. "Just please keep the instruments of torture to a minimum."

Snapping the phone closed, she mock-glared at Edward. He was perched on the arm of the sofa with his arms crossed, watching her with the crooked smile she was rapidly becoming attached to.

"It's all your fault," she grumbled, knowing full well that he'd heard the entire conversation. "If only you'd said, 'OK Bella, I'll just pop out for a couple of hours to eat,' I wouldn't be facing a fate worse than Chinese water torture."

He chuckled. "Is it really that bad?"

"Worse! Infinitely worse. Second only to shopping with her."

"I heard that!" Alice's voiced floated in from the corridor outside. In a matter of seconds she walked into Bella's apartment. Edward frowned.

"Bella, didn't you lock your door?"

"You think a locked door would keep her out?" she retorted.

"I mean that you should keep your front door locked. You never know who may be out there."

He really was sweet, concerned about her safety. What's more, he did have a valid point. "Alright, Edward, I'll try to remember."

"OK Boy-o," Alice declared, pushing Edward toward the offending door. "Out you go. We'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Good luck, Bella!" he teased over his shoulder before Alice shut the door on him.

For a few of minutes, Alice and Bella chatted about the concert that Ben and Angela were attending. Bella wasn't fooled. She knew that Alice was waiting for Edward to be out of earshot before she started grilling her.

"So Bella," began Alice, walking casually over to Bella's closet and inspecting a dark blue sweater dress. "What do you think of Edward?"

Bella had already resigned herself to lengthy Edward discussion. In fact, she almost welcomed it.

"He is very…nice," she replied noncommittally.

Alice responded with a delicate snort. "A good-looking guy rescues you from your wrecked truck, drives you to the hospital, stays with you there, drives you home, and makes you tea and dinner. And all you can say is 'he's very nice'?"

Bella rolled her eyes at her friend. "Fine. I think he's amazing. _Too_ amazing. There has to be something wrong."

"Well, no kidding. He's a vampire. Does that bother you?"

"You're a vampire too," she pointed out. "It doesn't bother me in the least. I mean, neither one of you is planning to eat me, right?"

"He isn't planning to, but in theory he may be tempted beyond his control and do the unthinkable. Of course, he would never forgive himself if he did. I don't see it happening, though."

"Well, that's a relief."

"Like I said earlier, you can trust him. How do you feel about him?"

"How do you feel about him Alice?" There, time to turn the tables.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "From what I can tell, one day Jasper and I will join their coven…family. He will be a wonderful brother. In fact, I already feel some sisterly affection for him. It's probably because of my visions, but it's there."

Bella felt a pang of sadness. Alice and Jasper would be part of Edward's family, and she would be left outside. It was silly to feel that way, but she couldn't help it. She was probably just wishing for the stability of a family, especially as she recently lost hers. Not that hers had been that great.

"Well," continued Alice, "I think he likes you, and you like him.'

"Of course I like him," Bella scoffed. "What's not to like? He is intelligent, thoughtful, warm-hearted…oh, you know what I mean!" Alice had cocked a delicate eyebrow at the "warm-hearted" comment.

"Hot?" she teased, "Not literally, of course."

Bella rolled her eyes, although she could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. "Enough with the vampire jokes." Alice didn't drop her eyebrow. "OK fine, hot."

Alice's squeal threatened to shatter the glasses in the kitchen. "I knew it! You _do_ like him! _Like_ like him!"

"Alice," Bella admonished, torn between amusement and embarrassment, "I have neighbours, you know."

"Oh Bella, I'm so happy that you finally found someone you're attracted to! Angela and I were worrying that, with everything that's happened over the past year, you were completely shutting down your emotional side."

Watching the small, dark-haired vampire flipping through her closet, Bella frowned slightly. "Whoa, Alice! Even if I _were_ attracted to him…"

"You are."

"That doesn't mean that he feels the same about me. Sure, he's attracted to my blood, but I doubt that he feels anything for _me_."

Alice somehow unearthed nail polish and a manicure set, and gracefully seated herself cross-legged on the bed. Knowing that resistance was futile, Bella reluctantly offered her hand before her friend snatched it.

"Why do you think that?" Uh-oh, a leading Alice question. Now it starts.

"Oh, come on. Be logical, Alice. He's beautiful, perfect... You should have seen the nurses at the hospital. They were practically throwing themselves at his designer-shod feet. He can have any female, human or vampire, that he wants. I, on the other hand, am plain, too skinny, and boring, with tons of emotional baggage."

Financial baggage, too, Bella thought to herself. When her parents died, they left behind only a mountain of debt. A few months ago she started selling her own blood plasma to help cover her portion of the rent. Of course, she would never, ever tell her friends about this. They would want to help her, but it was something she had to handle on her own. The little fortune-teller sitting across from her would probably know, although she was wise enough not to interfere.

Alice had heard this self-deprecating speech before. "So why did he take you, bleeding, to the hospital? And stay there with you the whole time? _And_ drive you home?"

Bella shrugged. "Like I said, he's nice. He probably thought it was the right thing to do, felt responsible for me or something. I must have looked truly pathetic, like some lost and injured little girl with no one to look after her."

"What about the dinner he cooked for you? Don't tell me he was hungry."

"Alice, he's new in town, doesn't know anyone here, and had no place to go. It was already 7:00pm, and all the realty offices were closed. Angela went off on her overnight date with Ben, and you left as well. He had nothing better to do, heard my stomach rumble and went into doctor mode. You know – blood loss, bruised ribs, need nutrients to replenish strength? His patient wouldn't be able to reach the cupboards without aggravating her injuries, so what else was he supposed to do?"

"Bella!" Despite her agitation, Alice still managed to paint perfect French nail tips. "Stop putting yourself down. You know you like him."

Her friend grimaced. "Yes, I suppose I do. Probably too much." The last part was stated so quietly that even Alice's vampire ears had a hard time hearing it.

"Oh?"

"There's no way he'd ever be interested in me, so please don't try to convince me otherwise. He just feels sorry for me. When he makes other friends here, he won't need me hanging around him." It felt as if something sharp twisted in her stomach at this thought.

"Although," she continued, "if you and Jasper become part of his family, I suppose he'll be forced to see me from time to time. It's torture for him to be near me. Why would he want to do it when he'd have other friends?" She was not only trying to convince Alice, but drive the point home to herself as well. Living in the same building as him wasn't going to help matters.

Alice sighed. "You're trying very hard to be pessimistic about him, aren't you?"

"Unrequited affection is a deeply painful experience, Alice. I'd prefer to avoid it. Once was enough." Bella was thinking about a man she'd met as an undergrad. He was also a student, and she immediately fell for him – hard. Of course, he only saw her as a friend, never anything more. In fact, he asked for her assistance to set him up with one of her friends. Nothing like helping the man you love get a date with another woman.

"Bella, look at me." She reluctantly raised her eyes to meet Alice's amber ones.

"Edward definitely doesn't pity you. He understands that he feels very protective of you, and admires your courage. When he gets back tonight, please listen objectively to what he tells you. Promise?"

"OK, I promise."

The two friends sat in companionable silence for some time. Finally, Alice leaned back to admire her handiwork and saw that Bella had her lower lip caught between her teeth.

"That's a bad habit, you know."

"What is? Oh." Bella immediately released her lip. She'd done it ever since she was a child, whenever she was nervous or pensive.

"So spill, Bella. What's worrying you now?"

"Nothing much." Another dubious eyebrow raise. Bella sighed. "Alright, but you're going to think it's silly. Edward has his own apartment now, so he'll want to stay there tonight, right?"

"Not silly at all. I don't know, Bella. He hasn't made a decision yet. However, it'll be rather lonely for him in a completely dark and empty apartment."

"But at least he won't have to put up with the burning throat and bloodlust, right? Besides, he doesn't sleep. He can go out whenever he wants. It's not like he'll be trapped in there."

"No, he won't go out, Bella. He doesn't want to leave you alone."

"What? Why not?" She felt a twinge of irritation. This babying was beyond ridiculous. "I'm a big girl, and have had plenty of injuries worse than this before. I can manage just fine on my own!"

Alice hurried to explain. "No no, that's not what I meant. Of course you can manage on your own."

Bella hadn't seen her friend flustered before. What was she hiding from her? "Alice?"

"There's something else, but that's for him to tell you, not me."

"So that's why you came? Edward needed to go hunting, but he didn't want me left alone? What does he think I'm going to do?" Annoying, overprotective vampire. She refused to be treated like a child, especially by a man she just met.

"Not what _you_ are going to do, exactly."

Various scenes from today flashed through Bella's mind. The uneasiness she felt at the site of the crash, the panicky need to get away from there. Edward lying about the deer running across his path, his overly vigilant behavior, the way he sniffed the air and growled outside her apartment. Ah, now she beginning to understand.

"He's not trying to prevent me from injuring myself," she mused aloud. "He's…protecting me from something else. From _someone_ else?"

"Bella," begged Alice, "Please don't ask me for any more details. He'll tell you himself when he gets back."

All sorts of possibilities ran through Bella's head. Maybe he "heard" someone near the hospital planning to harm her? Or perhaps…? A chill ran down her spine. What if the vampire who attacked her four years ago had returned? No, that didn't make sense. Still, she couldn't shake the impression that she'd guessed correctly.

Alice saw the panic flash across her friend's face. "Bella, please! You're borrowing trouble again."

Bella felt guilty for worrying her friend. "Alright, Alice, I'll wait. But that vampire Adonis has a lot of explaining to do!"

An hour later, said Adonis returned and Alice was on her way back to her Jasper. At the door, Alice gazed meaningfully at Edward. Bella wondered what she was telling him.

"Hello Bella," he greeted her, setting his small duffle bag on the wood floor by the door. There is was, her favourite crooked smile. His eyes were now a warm butterscotch, and he'd changed into a grey UW hoodie.

"Hi." Great, now she sounded breathless. How did he do that? "Er…did you have fun?"

He grinned, obviously able to hear her heart racing. Bella took a couple of deep breaths, inhaling his scent and calming herself down.

"Yes, thank you," he responded politely, although his eyes danced with mischief. "Did you survive the fate worse than Chinese water torture?"

She held up her newly-polished fingernails. "Barely."

He laughed. "Well, they look good."

"Thanks." Well, _this_ was awkward. "I, uh, wanted to talk with you about something."

"Shall we sit down, then?" He motioned her to sit on the sofa, and he gracefully folded himself next to her. To her surprise, he suddenly looked nervous. "Alice mentioned that you had figured out what I was up to? What does that mean, exactly?"

Bella hadn't expected him to put her on the spot. She was supposed to be the one leading this conversation. Stupid, manipulative supernatural creature.

"It means that I think you're going to a lot of effort to protect me from someone. I want to know who, and, more importantly, why." There, she said it.

Edward ran a nervous hand through his bronze hair, making it look more windblown that it did already. "You are even more perceptive than I gave you credit for, and I was already giving you a lot of credit."

"You were right to suspect I was lying about the deer. It wasn't a deer, it was a vampire." He watched her anxiously. "You had your window down. He smelled your scent, and thought he'd make us crash, thus providing lunch for him and his mate. When he discovered that there was a vampire in the car, he ran off."

Bella swallowed quickly, forcing herself to remain calm. "So he's gone?"

"No Bella, he isn't," responded Edward in pained voice. "I'm afraid that it's my fault. He watched, and when he saw that I didn't drink from you, he decided it would be fun to…take you from me."

To say that Bella was dumbfounded would be an understatement. "I…I don't understand. I don't belong to you. How can he…?"

The anguish in Edward's golden eyes made her wish to comfort him, but she didn't know how. So that was it, he was here because he felt guilty? She immediately resolved to find a way to release him. Unless, of course, there was something more that he wanted from her. After all, she thought dryly, she was an interesting case study for him.

"James is a tracker. He lives for the challenge of the hunt, and once he captures his prey he has a nasty tendency to play with his food. After you crashed, I prevented him from having you by taking you with me. He assumes that I want you as my pet, so now you…we…present him with a much more intriguing game. He's absolutely lethal, and will stop at nothing until he gets you."

Bella stared back at him, attempting to process what he was telling her. There were so many questions and emotions coursing through her.

"Do you want me as a pet?"

This was clearly not the first question Edward was expecting. He looked shocked. "What? No! As a friend, perhaps even…" He stopped abruptly, disgust creeping into his velvety voice. "A pet is a human who is repeatedly raped and drunk from over a period of several months. I would never do that, especially not to you."

"Then why did you rescue me?"

Her companion seemed hurt by the question. "You think I would just leave an injured woman on the side of the road, at the mercy of a sadistic vampire?"

Bella managed to shrug. "I'm his natural food source. Surely you don't intend to save every human that a vampire tries to eat. It would be like preventing lions from killing gazelles. The lions would starve."

"Bella, there is no way I'd stand by and allow a vampire to kill an innocent human if I could prevent it."

"But you said that you'd tasted human blood before."

Edward frowned, watching his long fingers playing with the sofa cushion. "It's not something I'm proud of. A few years after Carlisle, my father, changed me, I rebelled against his dietary strictures and went off on my own. I sought out evil minds, thinking that if I killed them, I could at least save others. After a while I realized that I was no better than the owners of those evil minds, a monster just like they were. Like them, I decided who should live and who should die at my hand. I became disgusted with myself, and crawled back to Carlisle to grovel for his forgiveness. Undeserving as I was, he still welcomed me back with open arms."

He finally looked up at Bella, almost pleading with her to understand. "Since then, I've never taken a human life, although with you I came dangerously close."

Instinctively, Bella covered his hand with hers. "Like I said, you didn't kill me. You won't intentionally hurt me."

"You have more faith in me that I do myself," he told her softly.

Bella smiled. "Someone needs to."

Slowly the smile faded, and she withdrew her hand from his. "Edward, about James…"

"I'll protect you from James and his mate. They won't get to you."

"His mate?"

"Victoria, the vampire who attacked you four years ago. James probably didn't even know."

She thought for a long time, her mouth forming a grim line. Edward seemed to grow more agitated.

"Bella, please tell me what you are thinking. You're starting to worry me here."

She'd made a decision. Taking a deep breath, she asked him, "James and Victoria are not only after me, they're after you too. Right?"

Edward reluctantly agreed.

"They will try to kill you to get to me? Perhaps Alice and Jasper as well? Angela?"

"We'll protect Angela. Don't worry."

"But I can't have my friends die because of me!" Panic threatened to break though her hard-won façade. Bella took another steadying breath.

"Edward, you barely know me. I don't even understand why you care what happens. It's not your fault that James is after me, and it's not your duty to protect me." She hesitated briefly. "I think you should just let him have me."

"NO!" he roared. Bella jumped. Edward was standing up now, his fists clenched at his sides, staring down at her furiously, his eyes almost black. Sensing her alarm, he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"Why not, Edward? You can't save everyone. Is it because you're in some sort of competition with him now, and you don't want him to win? Or is it that you're trying to atone for sins you imagine you committed decades ago? By protecting me, you could lose one of your friends, a family member, even your own life."

"Bella…" His deadly quiet tone should have warned her, but she had to make him understand her point of view.

"Did it ever occur to you that I'm _supposed_ to die this way, and that you're interfering with fate? How many vampires have I come across already? At least five, two of whom want to eat me, and another who has to constantly fight the urge to do so. Even Jasper won't come close to me, because the temptation could too great. In the past nine months, my entire family died except me. It doesn't make sense for me to still be alive. Maybe Alice's intervention not only saved me, but also saved my parents the pain of losing their child. But now…"

She couldn't continue, because Edward had grasped her shoulders painfully, his angry face inches from hers. "Dammit Bella, I will _not_ have you wallow in survivor's guilt, nor will I allow you to commit suicide by vampire. You are being utterly absurd."

Bella forced back the angry tears that came to her eyes. She refused to cry in front of this man again. "Well, I won't allow you, Alice, and Jasper to risk your lives for me. Never mind the constant torture you put yourself through just to be near me. Edward, I'm not worth it. Please, I'd never forgive myself if something bad happened to any of you."

"Just as we wouldn't forgive ourselves if anything happened to you." By now Edward seemed to have calmed down, and his cool hands on Bella's shoulders were holding her gently. He favoured her with another crooked smile.

"It looks like we're at an impasse."

Bella couldn't resist that smile. "It appears so. What are we going to do about it?"

He released her shoulders and took a step back from her. "Go to bed. It's getting late."

She gawped at him. "What?" She blushed at Edward's knowing grin.

"I don't mean like that, silly girl." He raised a wicked eyebrow, his golden eyes twinkling. It would take a while for her to get used to these mercurial mood changes. "Unless, of course…"

"No, no," interrupted Bella, her face turning even more red as she laughed nervously. Drat, what was the matter with her? _Get a grip, Swan_, she scolded herself, _and get your mind out of the bed…er…the gutter._

She swallowed quickly. "So, you're still staying the night here, right?"

"If you don't mind. My apartment is rather bare at the moment." He took pity on her flaming cheeks.

"How about you get yourself to bed, and I'll set up out here on the sofa. I plan to catch up on some reading while you're asleep."

Bella nodded and disappeared into her room, only to emerge with a pile of towels and blankets a couple of minutes later.

"If you'd like to have a shower or clean up, feel free to use our bathroom."

"I'll do that after you climb into bed." He shot her a grateful smile as he unpacked his duffle bag. "Thank you for letting me stay tonight."

She hurried into the bathroom, making short work of her face and teeth. Padding into the hallway in her flannel pants and warm long-sleeved blue T-shirt, she glimpsed Edward sitting stretched out on the sofa. A hefty medical book rested in his lap.

"Good night, Edward."

"Good night, Bella."

Curled up under her old comforter, Bella listened to the soft sounds of pages turning in the living room. After a while she heard him sigh quietly, then soon after the rush of water in the shower. She quickly shut out the image of a naked Edward standing on the other side of her wall. Thank God he couldn't read her mind.

When the water stopped and the shower curtain opened, the unbidden image came back. _Get a grip_, Bella, her inner voice taunted her again. A moment later she heard his amused voice.

"Sleep, Bella," he teased softly. "I can hear your heart from here."

"Stupid vampire super hearing," she grumbled, then scowled at his soft chuckle.

As usual, nightmares took away her peaceful slumber. She tossed and turned, screaming in her dreams as she watched her parents and cousin go one-by-one down the basement stairs into the blackness below. Each time she would beg them not to go, knowing she would never see them again, but they didn't listen to her.

This time, however, there was another person in her dream. Edward was poised at the top of the stairs. "I'll get them back for you, Bella," Edward assured her over his shoulder, stepping into the blackness.

"No, Edward! They're already gone. Please don't go too!" She was sobbing in her dream, grabbing onto his arm, futilely trying to drag him back from the brink. She screamed as the blackness swallowed him as well.

In her dream she heard Edward's soft voice reassuring her, his cool hands soothing her face and brushing away the tears that refused to stop falling. How had he come back from the black hole, when her family had not? Somehow she was moved and propped against a cold, fabric-covered wall, where she calmed down and drifted back to a more peaceful sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Domestication

_Geez, I hope there are still people following this!_

_I know, it's been forever since my last update. I don't have any good excuse - just real life getting in the way. Hopefully, both of my lives will be on track again soon._

_To refresh your memory, thanks to James looking for lunch, Bella's truck almost crashed into Edward's shiny Volvo on a highway in the Cascades. She managed to avoid hitting Edward, but went down the embankment instead. Edward rescued her,taking her to the hospital and then to her apartment, where he discovered that she already knew he was a vampire, and met her vampire friend Alice (in this story, not his sister yet). At the end of the last chapter, he was staying overnight in Bella and Angela's apartment, and Bella was having a nightmare. OK, all caught up? :-)_

_As always, many, MANY thanks to my wonderful and speedy validation beta **nowforruin**! I'm relieved to find that she hasn't given up on me yet._

_**Disclaimer**: All characters here are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. _

* * *

**CHAPTER 5: Domestication**

Edward flew to Bella's room as soon as he heard the screams. He didn't sense another vampire there, but there _was_ such a thing as shielding. He pulled up short when he saw Bella writhing in her bed, her body twisted up in her blanket. What was happening?

"No, Edward!" she cried out suddenly. Her hands futilely grasped at the air, as if she were trying to cling to something. Ah, it was a nightmare. By the looks of it, he was in it, although it wasn't clear if he was the villain or not. What was he thinking? He was a vampire. Of course he was the villain!

Edward couldn't allow her to continue screaming. Hoping that he wouldn't make matters worse, he reached down to her and gently brushed her face with his cold hands.

"Shh Bella, everything is alright. Shh." Damn, she wasn't stopping. If she continued like this, she'd damage her ribs further. With a sigh, he laid down on the bed behind her and carefully gathered her to his chest. Oddly enough, she seemed to find this calming. Soon he felt the tension leave her and her breathing even out.

Even more oddly, he was reluctant to let her go. In spite of the burning in his throat, he was comfortable here with Bella's warm body against him. It somehow felt right.

_Come on, Cullen_, his logical self intervened. _It's not like she's a hot water bottle or something._

_True_, he thought grimly. _She isn't a hot water bottle, she's a hot blood bottle. Better get yourself away from her before you puncture the container._ Making sure that Bella was truly asleep, he slipped away from her, carefully replacing his body with the blanket.

Ten minutes later, Edward gave up all pretense of reading about pediatric neurology, allowing his thoughts to return to the woman in the next room. For some reason he wanted to go back into that room, just to watch her sleep. If someone had told him that he would arrive in Seattle and immediately become wrapped up in the life of a human female, he would have told them they were crazy. Now, listening to the sounds of Bella's slow breathing and steady heartbeat, he wondered if he was the crazy one. He had to admit that, for the first time in his long existence, he found someone outside of his family whom he cared about more than himself.

Then there was the unprecedented attraction of her blood, not to mention her silent mind. He vaguely recalled a legend about humans whose blood called to individual vampires. He glanced at his wristwatch. Two o'clock. Carlisle would just be getting off his shift at the hospital. Edward felt the sudden urge to call him.

"Hello, Son," Carlisle's voice answered after the first ring. "How did your first day in Seattle go? Quiet?"

Edward had to stifle his derisive laugh for fear of waking Bella. "Not exactly, Carlisle."

"Oh?" He could hear amusement in his father's tone. "What happened?"

In a voice too low for Bella to hear, he quickly related the events of the day, not missing a single detail. Carlisle listened patiently, uttering only a thoughtful hum here and there.

"I don't understand it," murmured Edward. "I can't hear her mind, and her blood…now I can fully sympathize with Odysseus when he had his crew bind him to his ship's mast so that he could hear the sirens' song but not succumb to it."

Carlisle drew a quick, unnecessary breath. "Edward, that's your answer!"

"What is?"

"The sirens' song. _Lei è la tuo cantante_."

"_Lei è la mia cantante_? She is my singer? I thought singers were just a myth."

His father hurumphed. "Apparently not. Actually, I know of a few cases when a vampire met his singer. None of them ended well. You have astonishing control, son."

Edward groaned quietly, bending his head and running a hand through his hair. "Great. Even if I can protect her from James and Victoria, how do I protect her from myself?"

"You already have, Edward. She's right there with you, isn't she?" Carlisle was silent for a moment, allowing his son's thoughts to wander back to the woman in the other room. His father's next words brought him out of his reverie.

"The more important questions are, one, is it wise to stay close to Bella, knowing that you could slip and reveal to the world what you are, and two, how do you propose to guard her when you are on a pediatric R1's schedule? You could be at the hospital for days at a time." He then added warily, "And three, even knowing how you and I feel about protecting human life, is this really all worth it? Son, there's no need to growl at me."

Edward hadn't even realized that he was doing it. "Sorry, Carlisle," he apologized sheepishly. What on earth possessed him to growl at his father? "Actually, Bella asked me the same question. She was trying to convince me that she wasn't worth the effort. I guess I overreacted."

"Forgiven. Have you given any thought as to _why_ you're so protective of this human woman?"

He sighed. "Yes. I don't know why. I just know that I am. Perhaps it's because I find her intriguing. Her mind is a mystery to me."

"Something else is at work here," mused Carlisle. "I'm going to ask you a question, and I want you to think about your answer carefully. A vampire's self-preservation instinct is especially strong, and human life is frail. All humans die sometime. If you were in a situation where either Bella would be killed, or you would, which would you choose? Remember that she will die eventually anyway."

Edward didn't even have to think about it. "Assuming that she could live her mortal life through to a ripe old age, with a normal marriage, perhaps even children and grandchildren? I would die. No question." His own response startled him. Why would he say that? Normally he would have chosen that the human die, as it would clearly be their time.

Carlisle's voice was very soft. "I fell in love with Esme when she was human, you know. The same with Rosalie and Emmett. She saved him after a bear attack."

"But that's ridiculous! I barely know the woman!"

"Is it?" his father responded gently. "So you're saying that if James and Victoria were out of the picture tomorrow, you could just walk away from Bella? Mission accomplished?"

"Yes. No! It _should_ be yes. Oh God, I don't know anymore." Edward, who was lying on the sofa, slammed his head back against the armrest in frustration. A slight wooden cracking sound announced that he probably hit it too hard. Damn, now he was breaking her furniture.

"Carlisle, Esme and Emmet were dying when you changed them. Bella still has a full life ahead of her. Even if she were my mate, there is no way I could take her humanity from her." For the umpteenth time since he met her, his exceptionally sharp mind was reeling. She couldn't possibly be his mate. What sort of sick scheme of fate...? Of course, she was the only person, human or vampire, whose mind he couldn't read. Vampires were already a regular part of her life.

_And let's not forget the singing blood thing_, his inner voice mocked. _It's like she was made just for you. Heck, she was right behind you on a highway. What are the chances? _

Yup, fate had one hell of a sense of humour. As Alice pointed out, whenever a vampire showed up to kill Bella, another one was there to save her.

Carlisle was patiently waiting at the other end of the phone line. "Well," sighed Edward, "at least I can be her friend...and current guardian vampire."

"So how do you propose to keep an eye on her while you performing your R1 duties?"

Just then a text message beeped in.

_Jasper and I would be happy to help. Emmett too._

Nosy little pixie. "Carlisle, Alice is offering to help, and she says to tell Emmett to come." Come to think of it, his big bear of a brother would relish the chance at James.

His father chuckled. "I can see that your humdrum life is a thing of the past. It's about time."

Carlisle laughed again at his son's defeated groan. "Good night Edward. Bring Bella, Alice and Jasper to visit soon."

Another text arrived as he hung up, this time from Jasper.

_Now you've done it. Alice is hoppin up n down like a bunny on speed._

Edward grinned and texted him back.

_Have fun with that._

By the time Bella woke up some six hours later, Edward had worked out some semblance of a schedule with Alice and Jasper. He'd also managed to grind some coffee beans and boil them with a couple spoonfuls of sugar, and was just allowing the coffee to settle.

"Mmmm…" Bella sniffed appreciatively as she padded into the kitchen. "That smells heavenly."

"Good! I hope you like it strong."

"The stronger the better," she declared with a grin.

Edward's still heart constricted at the sight of her. With her old Forks High long-sleeved t-shirt, too-big plaid flannel pants, and pink toes peeping out, she looked adorable. He didn't notice he was staring until she self-consciously glanced down at herself.

"Sorry. I should have realized that I wasn't dressed for company. I'll be right back."

"No, no, stay. You look…cute."

Bella grimaced, but moved closer to him and peered over his shoulder. The acrid smell of the coffee only partially masked her scent, and Edward quickly swallowed the venom that pooled in this mouth. She was so close that he could feel the warmth of her body radiating toward him.

"I've never seen anyone boil coffee grounds before. Where did you learn to do that?"

"My…er…cousin taught me to make it this way. She is Russian." He deftly poured steaming coffee into Bella's mug. "Milk?"

She nodded. "Your cousin is a vampire? Who does she make coffee for?"

If Edward were able to blush, he would have. "Her…men. Tanya and her two sisters have several human lovers."

"Oh." Bella stepped away from him, her face reddening. "I didn't even know that was possible."

Damn, why did Carlisle have to plant the idea of mating into his head? After almost half a century, Little Edward wanted to come out to play _now_? Seriously? Edward hastily placed Bella's mug on the other side of the counter, thereby requiring her to walk to the other side and view him from the waist up only. Thank goodness she actually did it.

"It's easier for female vampires than for males," he explained uncomfortably. "Males would need to exercise an enormous amount of control to keep from accidently killing their partner."

Bella was holding her mug and gently blowing into her steaming coffee, her face impossibly redder than before. How on earth had he got himself into this conversation? He wished he knew what was going through Bella's head right now.

"I see," she murmured, taking a tentative sip of her drink while she pulled herself together. Then she smiled at him. "This is great coffee, Edward. Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it." _Think non-arousing thoughts, Cullen,_ he coached himself. _Acoustic neuromas. The Krebs Cycle. Emmett in a yellow polka-dot Speedo. Ah, that's better._ "So, what are we doing today?"

Uh-oh, that blush was returning. Now he really wanted to know what she was thinking. _The Krebs Cycle…tricarboxylic acid…_

"Well, I'd need to check on my truck, and this evening Angela and I are holding a grad student potluck here. You know, a celebration before the quarter starts. There will be six of us. Why don't you join us?"

The lovely chestnut-haired woman before him had so much hope in her warm, dark eyes. How could he refuse her?

"I would like that," he agreed. "I suppose I should also find some furniture for my apartment today."

Bella was deep in thought. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

"I wish I could offer you my truck to move furniture," she mused. "My friend is very good at body work, but that door will have to be replaced, and ordering the parts will take some time." She shot him a mischievous smile. "Somehow it got ripped off its hinges."

Edward shrugged nonchalantly. "It happens," he deadpanned. He wasn't concerned about moving furniture. He planned to have it delivered anyway. As for Bella's truck, he rather liked to idea of chauffeuring her. With any luck, the parts would take weeks to arrive.

"So," he asked, attempting to distract himself. "What's for breakfast? Pancakes? Eggs? Breton crepes with salted butter caramel?"

"Pop-Tarts!" she grinned, jumping up and making a beeline for one of the cupboards.

"Nuh-uh. You tell me which one, and I'll get them. No straining those bruised ribs of yours." She grimaced, but obediently pointed.

Curious, Edward rapidly read the ingredients on the box and frowned. "How can you eat these things?"

Bella snatched the box from his grasp. "I like them. Your diet doesn't sound too appetizing either, you know. Don't knock the Pop-Tarts."

He rolled his eyes, making a mental note to provide her with more nutritious food in future. Thankfully, she returned to the other side of the counter, and they discussed the strategy for the day. Part of Edward's mind was absorbed by watching her bite into her Pop-Tart and lick the excess strawberry jam off the side.

Neither of them mentioned last night's dream. _Perhaps she'd forgotten it_, Edward mused. Good. He wasn't sure how she'd react if she knew that he'd curled up with her whilst she slept. Most likely she'd stare at him in horror for a few moments, then promptly kick him out. He had to admit that his actions were creepy, even for a vampire.

Well, if he was going to accomplish any furniture shopping today, he's better do a little research. He didn't need much – just enough to keep up a façade if any humans came to visit.

"Bella, would you mind if I borrowed your laptop?"

"Go for it. I'll phone the body shop and then get a quick shower. OK?"

After a lengthy call to her friend at the garage, Bella hastily grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom. Edward could hear every sound she made. The rustle of cotton as she removed her top and flannel pants, her sharp intake of breath as she ducked under the water that was still too cold, the swishing of her shampooing her hair…

_Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptors…Emmet in a yellow polka-dot Speedo…Bella in a yellow polka-dot Speedo…damn, not helping_.

The humidity from the shower enhanced her scent. It hit him hard when she came near him, dressed in a blue blouse and jeans. He swallowed several times, then took an experimental breath.

"Are you OK?" she asked him, concerned. "Your eyes are darker again."

Edward nodded. He had to get used to this if he wanted to be around Bella for any length of time. He also needed to be honest with her.

"Yes. It's just that you smell so good coming out of the shower."

Her eyes widened. "As in 'I like your shampoo' or 'mmmm…lunchtime'?"

He groaned. "Both."

Bella hesitated, clearly not sure how to react. "Would it help if you stepped outside for a while? I can make a few more phone calls while you're gone."

"It probably would, but I prefer to stay here with you." At Bella's frown, he added with a small smile, "Don't worry, it's manageable. I won't eat you."

"I just hate it that you're in pain." She was biting her lower lip again. "I'm sure Alice would be willing to babysit me. There's no need to torture yourself."

Edward shook his head, his eyes already lightening. "You are so absurd." When he saw that she was about to protest, he added with a grin, "Alice will just have to wait in line. I'm laying claim to your company now."

He grabbed his jacket from the sofa. "So the garage first?"

Bella glanced behind her in surprise. Edward was helping her with her own jacket. Clearly she wasn't expecting that.

"No, my friend quoted me a price and I told him to just go ahead. But you must have heard that, right?"

He had the grace to look embarrassed. She truly missed nothing. "Only part of it. I was trying not to listen. When did he say it would be ready?"

"In about a week. They need to order the part from a recovery shop."

Edward planned to pay for the repairs, but he wasn't about to start _that_ argument with her until absolutely necessary. On the way downstairs, Bella texted Angela, letting her know that they'd be out for a while.

Normally furniture shopping was boring, a necessary task every few years to keep up the human façade. Bella, however, made it fun. She kept him laughing with a running commentary on what she thought should go in his apartment. One time he almost made a dive to catch her when she fell backwards onto a pillow-top mattress, realizing just in time that she was "testing it out." He hoped she wasn't injuring her ribs again.

"Come on, try it!" she encouraged him as he stood looking down at her, smiling and shaking his head in amazement. She scooted over and patted the spot next to her. "You know that you have to test drive these things, right? Just think how good it would look with that flaming red glass-block bed over there."

He groaned, forcing back the images invoked by "test driving" the bed. This woman would be the death of him.

"Edward, come here." Bella sat up and tugged as his hand. He reluctantly perched next to her. "Good! Now, on the count of three, flop back. One, two, three!"

He obediently fell carefully backward, wary of breaking the springs. Looking over at her as she plopped next to him, he couldn't help grinning at her enthusiasm. Honestly, she was like a little kid.

"Ah, soooo comfy. See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"

No, it wasn't. "You like this one?" he asked.

Bella turned on her side and curled up with a sigh. "I'll let you know when I wake up from my nap."

He chuckled, getting off the mattress and holding out his hand to help her up. "Fine, we'll get it."

Suddenly his phone beeped. He glanced at the message and grimaced.

"What?" asked Bella.

"Alice." He showed her the screen.

_Good choice. Just get the bed, sofa, lighting and electronics today. You'll find out why later._

Bella grinned. "So she's got you on speed dial too. I'd do what she says. Never bet against Alice. How about that sofa over there?" She pointed to a giant pair of red lips.

"Not my shade," he responded seriously. "How about that set in the corner?"

She looked around and spotted the matching black quarter-note-shaped chair and sofa. Wandering over, she pretended to consider them. "Hmmm…too expensive. $6000 for the set."

"You always pay for style," Edward deadpanned. "Money is no object."

"Apparently neither is taste," retorted Bella.

They browsed for another fifteen minutes, selecting a few more items. Bella meandered around the store while Edward went with the salesman to pay and arrange for delivery. He'd just finished signing the paperwork when he noticed a young blond man talking to Bella. She didn't look happy to see him.

"Yeah, well, I've moved on. You obviously weren't ready to handle a normal relationship with all your issues, and now I have Jess, so it's all good. What about you?"

Edward was at Bella's side as quickly as a human pace would allow him. Based on the man's condescending thoughts, he must be an ex-boyfriend of hers. The jerk was mentally comparing Bella to his current girlfriend, and congratulating himself for dumping her. Edward desperately wanted to strangle the idiot, but instead he stood behind Bella and wrapped a casual arm around her waist. She stiffened briefly, then relaxed against him, covering his cold hand with her warm one.

"Done?" she asked, smiling up at him. With a wink, he grinned back.

"All set. Our bed will be delivered tomorrow morning, and the rest on Monday." _Take that, asshat_.

Asshat's thoughts registered astonishment. He was assessing him, wondering what the hell a man like Edward saw in this boring, scrawny woman. Images of himself with a naked Bella bent forward over a table flashed though his head, along with some muddled disdainful thoughts about her being a bad lay. Edward growled, too quietly for Asshat to hear. Bella, however, must have felt his chest rumble, and squeezed his hand gently.

"Bells, aren't you going to introduce us?" demanded Asshat. He stuck out his hand, which Edward ignored. "I'm Mike."

_OK then. MIKE Asshat. Good to know. _

"Edward," he responded shortly. "I take it you're a friend of Bella's?"

Mike smirked. "You could put it that way. Let's just say that…"

"Mike used to be my boyfriend," interrupted Bella, clearly feeling Edward's increasing tension. "It wasn't working out, so we broke up about four months ago."

"So now I have Jessica, and it looks like Bella's found you somehow."

Even without being able to read Bella's mind, he could feel her fury building. "Shh," he whispered in her ear. "If you get arrested for assault, you'll miss your party tonight."

"You wouldn't bail me out?" she murmured, too low for Mike to hear.

His soft chuckle in her ear made her shiver. "I'd have to have to provide bail for both of us."

"Well, nice to meet you. I'd better get going." _Thank God. _"See ya, Bells."

As he passed behind them, Asshat…Mike…commented in a hushed voice, "Hey Edward, don't get me wrong, I wish you both well. Man to man, though, she's frigid. She doesn't, you know…she fakes it."

Edward could feel Bella's body getting hot with embarrassment. He tightened his arm around her, remembering not to squeeze her injured ribs.

"Then obviously you were doing it wrong."

Mike scowled and turned to leave. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

_So long, Asshat_.

Bella relaxed, but Edward didn't let her go.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

She nodded, smiling uncertainly up at him. "Thanks for doing that."

"Any time." He released her reluctantly. "Let's go to get those groceries for the party tonight."

Neither spoke on the way to the Volvo. Once they were inside, Edward's good manners waged a losing battle with his curiosity. The more time he spent with Bella, the more he wanted to understand what drove her. What happened in her life to make her the way she was today? Well, he'd have her trapped in his car for the next twenty minutes, so that would at least give him an opportunity to ask her himself.


	6. Chapter 6: Seriously

_Gosh, I hope there are still people following this!_

_I know, it's been forever since my last update. I don't have any good excuse - just real life getting in the way. The good news is that I now have a full-time teaching job!_

_**To refresh your memory**, thanks to James looking for lunch, Bella's truck almost crashed into Edward's shiny Volvo on a highway in the Cascades. She managed to avoid hitting Edward, but went down the embankment instead. Edward rescued her,taking her to the hospital and then to her apartment, where he discovered that she already knew he was a vampire, and met her vampire friend Alice (in this story, not his sister yet). Throughout the course of the night at Bella and Angela's apartment,, he realises that it's not only Bella's blood that he wants. While they're out shopping, jealousy rears its green-eyed head when Bella's self-absorbed ex Asshat...er...Mike...shows up. OK, all caught up? :-)_

_As always, many, MANY thanks to my wonderful and speedy validation beta **nowforruin**! I'm relieved to find that she hasn't given up on me yet. At least, I don't think she has.  
_

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

**CHAPTER 6: Seriously**_**  
**_

Before Edward could voice his questions, Bella began in a rush, "I'm so sorry that you were dragged into that with Mike. I can't imagine what you thought, what you're thinking of me now."

_She sounds so forlorn_, he thought, _all because of that jerk_. He frowned, fury bubbling up inside him. It took an enormous amount of concentration to prevent himself from accidentally crushing the steering wheel with his fingers.

Bella sighed. He barely caught her muttered words. "Now I've made him angry again."

_What? She thought it was her fault he was angry? _He mentally cursed himself for upsetting her, and Asshat for existing. Good thing vampires could multitask. Time to do some clean-up.

"You want to know what I think? I think you are an intelligent, attractive woman who has the amazing ability to make even the most mundane situations pleasant and fun. I never imagined that I could spend so much time in one person's company and enjoyed it as I do with you."

_Running at the mouth much, Cullen?_ For the hundredth time he wished he could read what was going on in her mind. She looked…embarrassed? Did she even want to hear this from him? Being told that the vampire who craves your blood likes hanging out with you? Probably not. _Just being honest_, he assured himself. _Well, as long as he was on the topic…_

"What I don't understand is why a woman like you would hook up with Asshat…er…Mike. I came _this close_ to ripping his fool head off."

Bella's lips twitched. "Asshat?"

"Well, yes. That's the nickname I came up with before I knew his name."

"It fits," she smiled wryly.

Edward's curiosity got the better of him. "So why _did_ you date him?"

The chestnut-haired woman next to him shrugged. "Long story."

_Hmmmm_. "We have plenty of time."

Now she grimaced, flushing again. He'd never tire of seeing that.

Bella didn't want to talk about it. Actually, she wanted to forget that her ex-boyfriend ever walked the earth. On the other hand, she felt terrible that Edward was subjected to the encounter with Mike, and she at least owed him some sort of explanation. After all, he did come to her rescue…again. For a brief moment she allowed herself to relive the feel of his arm around her waist and his stone-like body pressed securely against her back. Of course, it was only play-acting. It would never happen for real.

With a sigh, she forced herself back to reality and responded bluntly, "I don't want to tell you because you'll think less of me."

Edward chuckled darkly. "Bella, I've revealed that I am an undead demon of the night who wants to drink your blood. As far as terrible secrets go, that's hard to top."

"Hmmff." She dismissed that one with a wave of her hand. "You're no demon."

He quirked one eyebrow and waited.

Bella huffed. "OK fine, if you really want the sordid details I'll tell you. But I don't want to talk about him again after this, OK?"

"OK," smiled Edward.

She paused, formulating how to explain it to him. "You may not understand this, because you're a guy and have been through med school, but it is difficult for a woman studying for an advanced degree to find a man who wants her for herself. Most men are scared of a woman with a master's or Ph.D. Their egos can't stand the idea of her having more formal education than them, or making more money. So that limits the possibilities to men who also have a master's or Ph.D., manthers, and those who want a sugar mama."

Surprisingly, Edward nodded. He'd heard similar complaints in the minds of several of his female colleagues. In fact, if he had actually been seeking a relationship with a human female, he would have been equally frustrated by the women who couldn't see past his looks and potential bank account.

"I understand. Most of the normal, successful couples I know are either equal or the woman is 'lower' education-wise."

"Exactly."

"So …" he prodded after a long pause.

Bella suddenly couldn't look at him. "It's not that no one ever asked me out. There was one guy who liked to tell everyone that he was dating a woman who was getting her master's in English, like it was some sort of status symbol. Apparently that was the only reason why his mother spoke to me. That one lasted two dates."

Edward forced back his irritation at this unknown man and flashed Bella his crooked grin. "So no princess and pauper scenarios for you."

As planned, Bella looked up at him and smiled back. "Nope. Does that sound snobby to you?"

"Not at all. Those types of relationships generally don't work out anyway. And then what?"

"Puppies." At her companion's questioning look, she explained, "The guys who follow you around adoringly, agreeing with everything you say, seemingly incapable of making a decision on their own. Puppies."

Edward laughed. "Picky picky."

Bella grinned in response. "I love dogs, really I do. I just don't want to date them."

He was regarding her thoughtfully. "So Ass...Mike showed up, seemingly normal, also in graduate school?"

Her astonishment registered clearly on her face. "How…?"

She rolled her eyes when he smirked and tapped his temple significantly. "Well, the timing helped. He came along when absolutely nothing else is my life was normal. I was struggling to support a physically ill father, emotionally unstable mother, and schizophrenic cousin. I suppose you could say that I used him to give myself some stability."

_Ah, finally another clue to the mystery of Bella_. Given what he knew about her, he could definitely see her sacrificing her own happiness for her family.

Bella's dark eyes took on a distant look, as if she'd forgotten that she was actually talking to him. "My mother didn't like me dating anyone, so we had to sneak around for the first couple of months. Then all hell broke loose in my family, I became an emotional and physical mess, and it was too much for him to handle. I don't blame him. I would have left me as well. As he said, _way_ too much baggage."

_I wouldn't have left you_, thought Edward. "So just when you most needed someone, he took off."

"Aren't we almost at the grocery store?"

"Almost," he conceded with a wry smile. He knew he was being nosy, but he had to know something. "Did you love him?"

Bella looked at Edward in surprise. "Didn't you hear the part about being a horrible person who used Mike for my own sanity?" When he didn't drop his questioning gaze, she sighed and reluctantly answered him.

"At the time I thought I was in love with him. Now, in hindsight, I was probably more in love with the idea of having a normal boyfriend."

Edward nodded. "That's what I hoped you'd say."

"What?" What the heck did he mean by _that_?

"Oh look, we're at the store!" observed her companion cheerfully. He chuckled at her growl.

A few minutes later, Bella found herself methodically scouring the grocery aisles, picking out the least expensive ingredients that would still produce a decent entrée for the potluck. If she was careful, she would still have enough money left over for the rent next week. The handsome man behind her, dutifully wheeling the shopping cart, observed her with amusement.

"And here I thought neurosurgery was serious business," he teased. "It clearly has nothing on grocery shopping."

Bella shushed him impatiently. "Shhh, I'm concentrating."

"Yes, ma'am."

"One more crack like that, Cullen, and I'll force you to eat Great Aunt Q's boiled parsnips." She shot him a look that made some of her errant students quake in their sneakers, slightly marred by the smile that threatened to escape. Really, how could she possibly be angry with him when he was so charming?

As they went through the check-out line, she noticed Edward stealthily extracting his wallet from his back pocket. _Uh-uh, no way_.

"Don't even think about it," Bella warned him sternly.

"About what?"

"Paying for these."

Observing the mutinous expression on her delicate face, Edward wisely put the wallet away. Better to let her win this battle, he decided, if he wanted to have her accept him paying for her truck later.

When they arrived back at Bella's apartment, Edward insisted on putting the groceries away and making Bella's tea. He cleverly sneaked her a grilled cheese sandwich as well, claiming that the chicken entrée she planned wouldn't turn out well if she made it while hungry.

"Edward?" she began tentatively, watching him move quickly around the kitchen.

"Hmmm?"

"Aren't you going a little overboard with this 'take care of Bella' thing?"

He froze, then looked over at her.

"No, I don't think…" At her quirked eyebrow, he smiled sheepishly. "Well, maybe just a little," he conceded. "Do you want me to leave?"

Bella eyed her handsome, incredibly sweet vampire friend thoughtfully. How he could describe himself as a "demon" was beyond her. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she also needed to let him know that he was allowed to have a life outside of babysitting her. Honestly, he was getting somewhat under foot.

_It's not your foot you want him under_, Bella's inner voice mocked. She mentally told her inner voice to shut up.

"Maybe just for a little while?" She was watching his beautiful, pale face for any sign that she'd upset him. "Why don't you go to your apartment and install that stereo system you bought today? You can take my laptop as well, if you like. Then come back up for the party?"

Edward was hesitating.

"Please? I promise I won't do anything to injure myself."

Now it was his turn to look skeptical. "Bella, you injure yourself on an hourly basis," he teased. He couldn't help smiling at her mock scowl. "OK, fine. I'll get out of your hair for a bit. But if you need me, just shout. I'll hear you."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. At least he didn't seem offended. "Thank you, Edward."

An hour or so later, Bella's signature chicken dish was in the oven, and she curled up on the sofa to re-read _The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. _Helen slamming the bedroom door against her debauched husband was a key point in Bella's master's thesis. After staring at the same paragraph for nearly ten minutes, Bella gave up, laid the novel on the coffee table, and reclined carefully against the sofa cushions. Edward's head had lain here only a few hours earlier, and she could still smell his entrancing scent on them.

Bella closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She needed this time to herself, to think. The last twenty-fours had been, as Edward put it, surreal. Was it only yesterday that she'd crashed her truck, and been saved from becoming lunch for a sadistic vampire and his mate? And then there was Edward. She sighed involuntarily. Strong, caring, brilliant, inhumanly beautiful...almost too good to be true.

_Certainly too good for you_, she reminded herself. In spite of his protests to the contrary, she knew she had to be a thorn in his side…or whatever it was that could penetrate vampire skin. She felt her insides twist painfully at the reminder of her how unequal they were, and how ridiculous it was to even consider that she could ever mean anything to him. Other than that thorn thing, of course.

Bella wasn't stupid. She knew herself well enough to realize that she was half-way in love with him, even after only a day. After much analysis, Bella came to the conclusion that it wasn't mere hero-worship, or even infatuation with his spectacular looks and other "vampire lures." It wasn't even the sexy sweet-and-dangerous thing he had going. _Well, that may be part of it_, she admitted.

In the past year, she'd managed to construct a wall around her heart. With what was happening with her family, and then with Mike, it was the only way she could survive with her sanity relatively intact. Other than her closest friends, no one else was allowed in. It was just her luck that the one person who could crack the wall was a god-like undead guy. Figures.

She jumped when her cell phone rang. Domen's ringtone.

"Hey Sis," his deep, slightly-accented voice greeted her cheerfully. "So I'm in charge of the drinks and ice again?"

Bella couldn't help laughing. "You bet, Little Brother. I wouldn't trust you to cook anything."

"I was counting on your saying that," he joked.

Domen Kresnik, of course, he wasn't really her brother. He was a very, _very_ good friend. In fact, if it weren't for him, Angela, Manoj, and Alice, Bella honestly believed she would be dead by now. _Even without the hungry vampires_, she added wryly.

"So six people at the party tonight? You, me, Angela, Ben, Manoj, and Carissa? Carissa only drinks Diet…" Bella grinned at the disgust in his voice. "…you'll probably just have water and tea… "

"Actually, there will be seven people. Edward's coming. But he'll probably just have water too."

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "Edward?" Uh-oh, there was that "brother" tone again. Thickened Croatian accent and all. Not good.

"Yes, Brother o' Mine, Edward. He sort of rescued me yesterday after I crashed my truck, and took me to the hospital."

"YOU CRASHED YOUR TRUCK?"

Bella cringed, holding the phone away from her ear. "If you calm down, I'll tell you what happened!" she protested.

"OK, I'm calm," Domen responded in a more normal voice. "Why the hell didn't you call me?"

"Domen, everything is fine. Edward took me to the hospital, then drove me home. Alice and Angela showed up soon afterward. No big deal."

"Are you hurt?"

Bella shrugged. "Gash on the forehead, a couple of bruised ribs…"

"WHAT?" She knew he'd over-react. "Are you sure you want to do this party thing tonight?"

"Domen, I'm fine." Bella could hear him muttering in Croatian on the other end of the line.

"Who is this Edward guy anyway?" Ah yes, there it was. Bella didn't need Edward's mind-reading abilities to know what her "brother" was thinking.

"He's about our age," _give or take a century or so_, "and a resident at Seattle Children's. Yesterday was his first day in Seattle."

To her relief, Domen laughed. "Interesting first day," he commented. "Alright, I guess I'll meet the guy tonight, and let you know if he's good enough for my sister."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of being good enough, aren't you bringing any of your women this evening?"

"Nah, just coming to hang out with my besties," he quipped. Domen, tall with black hair, fair skin, and a strong lean build from playing soccer, was a very handsome man. Not as handsome as Edward, but still… He knew it, too. In fact, the running joke in the grad student office was that you could tell the gender of the student he was helping just by how Domen said "Hello."

The sound of a key in the front door drew Bella's attention. "Beeeeeella! I'm HOOOOOOME!" Angela's voice sang out.

"Hey, Domen? Ang is back. See you at the party, OK?"

Angela was already extracting the ingredients for salad and blueberry muffins when Bella hung up the phone.

"So who's coming tonight?" she asked cheerily, pouring flour into a measuring cup. "You, Ben, me…"

Bella obligingly ticked off the names of their guests on her fingers. Angela looked up from her task, a grin tugging at her lips.

"Edward, huh?" She raised her delicate eyebrows mischievously. "Better make sure Carissa doesn't get her claws into your hottie-pants doctor."

"He's not my hottie-p…not mine," protested Bella.

"He could be," contradicted her friend, "If you let him through that armour of yours."

Bella sighed impatiently. Why was everyone trying to make her believe that Edward was attracted to her? Her own daydreaming was bad enough without her friends encouraging her.

"Angela, you don't get it. We're from totally different worlds." _Understatement of the year, Bella. _"He's just glad to find a friendly face in a new city."

Angela popped her muffins in the oven next to the chicken, and stood frowning at Bella, her hands on her hips. "Listen woman. I know your mother told you your whole life that you were plain and uninteresting, without any hope of finding a decent man, worthless except for what you could do for the family. I watched for years as she verbally abused you. She blamed you for everything that went wrong in her life, because she refused to acknowledge that _she_ was the problem. But now she's gone, and it's OK to feel that you're finally free, because you are! None of that crap she told you is true, and deep down inside you _know_ that."

"And that, Ang, is exactly why I love you." Bella spontaneously hugged her friend. Angela always had a way of cutting straight to the point. She was right, of course.

"It's more easily said than done, though," Bellas added quietly, pulling away. "After all, it's been pounded into my head for twenty-odd years. It didn't help that Asshat…Mike confirmed what she said."

Angela's eyes twinkled. "Asshat? Is this a story for the sofa?"

Her friend grinned. "Yup! Start the tea kettle."

* * *

_Whew! Next chapter, the party :-)_


	7. Chapter 7:  Oh Brother

**_I know, I know - it's been forever! Please accept my apologies (again).  
_**

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

_**Chapter 7: Oh Brother**_

"She's right, you know. You're going overboard."

Edward eyed the man leaning cross-armed against his front door with resignation. _Was it only two days ago I was wondering what I'd do with myself outside of my residency duties? Now I'm involved with four other vampires, two of whom were trying to eat the human I'm falling in love with. Fate definitely has one hell of a sense of humor._

"Let me guess. Alice sent you."

The tall, honey-blond vampire grinned. "Well, hello to you, too."

Jasper's thoughts were a mix of friendly and curious, in direct contrast to the web of vampire bite scars covering his arms and neck. Clearly he was an extremely good fighter…dangerous. Edward stiffened, his self-preservation instinct kicking in.

_It's wise to be wary of me_, Jasper thought mockingly. _I don't entirely trust you either, in spite of what Alice says. _ _No slip-ups, Cullen. Otherwise I may need to literally tear you limb from limb._

Edward rolled his eyes at Jasper's tone, but his response was serious. "Believe me, I'd want you to."

Jasper merely nodded once. _Glad to see we understand each other._ Then he smiled.

"So, let's get started on that audio system."

The men chatted amiably for some time, debating the finer points of various home audio systems. Of course, the conversation invariably turned to Bella. Edward was encouraged by Jasper's military approach to the situation of James and Victoria.

All the while, Edward was monitoring Bella. He was able to identify her voice from among dozens of his fellow apartment dwellers, even from this distance.

"Jealousy, Edward?" teased Jasper. "Really?"

Edward offered an apologetic shrug. "She's on the phone with someone named Domen."

"Ah." Jasper nodded in understanding. "He's like a brother to her, and it's mutual. No need to worry about him."

"I'm gaining a deeper understanding of how my family feels when I read their thoughts," grimaced Edward. _Having someone knowing how I'm feeling at all times is unnerving. My constant mind-reading must be a royal pain in the…_

Suddenly Angela's thoughts reached him. As usual, they were uncluttered by self-interest. Hers was a pleasant mind to be in.

"She WHAT?" he muttered, horrified.

"Who what?"

"Angela and Bella are discussing Bella's mother. How can any mother destroy her daughter's self-confidence like that?"

Jasper hesitated, debating how much he should tell Edward without Bella's permission. The bronze-haired vampire wasn't even paying attention to him now. He was completely focused on Angela and Bella's conversation. The sudden wave of love and possessiveness that Jasper perceived decided him. He wouldn't actually _tell_ Edward, he would _show_ him. If Bella was unhappy about it, he could always blame Edward's nosy telepath tendencies.

Edward's mind was abruptly assaulted with images of an older woman with medium-length brown hair and child-like blue eyes. Shooting a startled glance at Jasper, he concentrated on the scenes playing out before him. Renee charming a policeman out of a speeding ticket. Renee resplendent in huge earrings and Bohemian-style skirt and blouse, standing next to a hunched, jean-clad Bella. Bella trying to distract her mother from a debate about cryptids and the paranormal.

The two men shared a smile at the last one. "Renee would have gone into spasms of joy if she'd met an actual telepath and empath," commented Jasper ironically.

The images in Jasper's mind were becoming darker. A tall man with black hair and a mustache, pounding the kitchen counter and yelling at Bella that she was trying to starve him. Renee walking out of the room, declaring that it was Bella's turn to deal with him.

"Her father?" whispered Edward. The man's eyes were a faded version of Bella's warm chocolate ones. Jasper nodded.

More images, this time of the same man….Charlie…patiently playing with a young American Indian child. His face was kind and alive.

"His friend's grandson on the reservation," Jasper supplied quietly. "Charlie was a good man."

Edward watched Jasper play his memories of a funeral, no, _three_ funerals. Jasper was careful to show the other vampire details of the obituaries, along with the names and dates on the headstones, and the emotions Bella was feeling as she read them. Each memory became more and more painful, until Edward felt as if he would double over with the anguish of them.

"She tried so hard so put up a strong front, but it was eating her from the inside. At one point Alice had a vision of Bella deliberately accelerating her car toward a huge tree, then changing her mind at the last minute."

Edward swallowed heavily. The thought of Bella dead felt like someone was stabbing his silent heart.

"So first her cousin Anna went into mental health ICU, then the next day Charlie found Renee dead from an amitriptyline overdose." His mind buzzed through the possibilities. "Renee was depressed? Bipolar? Suffered from anxiety attacks?"

Jasper nodded. "She would make up stories of a vague background of nobility, and all of the famous people she knew. She also believed that she had psychic powers of some sort."

"Hmmm…Given that I can't read Bella's mind, the latter part may actually be true. There is certainly enough evidence of mental issues."

Grimacing, Jasper agreed. "Schizophrenic cousin who made Bella's life a living hell …"

"And who jumped from the roof of a twelve-storey building seven months after Renee died," added Edward, recalling the news post from Jasper's memory.

"Father with dementia, going in and out of hospital for five months after her mother passed away, finally succumbing to congestive heart failure," Jasper continued. "I don't know how she handled it. It was as if she gradually numbed herself. By the time her cousin died, all I could get from her was the occasional sharp jab of pain. It was if she'd wrapped her mind in a shield to protect…"

He halted abruptly at the expression on Edward's face. "What is it?"

"A shield! Jasper, I think you've come up with the answer. What if Bella is a mental shield?"

"But Edward, she's human! If she were a vampire, sure, but seriously…"

"Can you control her emotions?"

"Yes, but not easily. My gift works mostly on the body, not the mind."

"Shit, if Aro found out about this…"

"Edward, if the Volturi found out about Bella at all, we'd all be dead. You know that."

Aro, leader of the Volturi, was a collector of talented vampires. He'd already tried to coerce Edward into joining them. Goodness knows what would happen if he discovered Alice, Jasper, and a potentially gifted Bella.

He shook his head, willing the thought away. As if she didn't already have enough to worry about, with hungry, sadistic vampires after her, intent on torturing her before they have their meal. _Oh yeah, and some creepy 100-year-old blood-drinker who happens to be falling in love with her. Don't forget that little issue, Cullen._

Bella's history struck a chord with Edward. His own parents were carried away by Spanish influenza when he was about Bella's age. He remembered the disbelief that they were gone, followed by his anger with God for letting them die and the terrible grief that followed. Back then, with friends and neighbors all around him dying, he learned to live life moment-by-moment, dealing with each attack as it came, not thinking of the future. He focused only on what had to be accomplished, numbing his emotions. It dawned on him that this is what Bella must have done as well.

Jasper was watching his soon-to-be-brother carefully, trying to understand the complexity of sensations he read. Bella wouldn't want Edward to know the details of her recent life, wrongfully assuming that he would pity her. However, even with everything that Edward felt now, pity definitely wasn't there. Thank God he didn't "tell" Edward about Bella selling blood plasma to pay her bills. _Tha_t would have sent the poor guy over the edge.

A couple of hours later, armed with a bottle of Pinot Grigio, Edward tapped on Bella's door. He could hear Bella, Angela, and two men and a woman inside, laughing about an exam. Ben, Manoj and Carissa, he gathered from their thoughts. Manoj brought a CD of Indian pop music, which now played in the background.

A short young man with black hair and friendly dark eyes opened the door. _This must be Bella's knight in shining armor,_ the man thought, assessing the taller stranger in front of him.

"Hey Bella," he called, shooting Edward a mischievous smile. "There's a guy here with a bottle of wine. Should I let him in?"

Edward heard Bella walking quickly toward them. "It depends," she responded cheekily. "What kind of wine?" Her heart rate picked up when she spotted him at the door, and her face broke into a welcoming grin.

"Oh, it's just Edward," she teased. "If he has pinot grigio, he's in."

Edward smirked as he handed her the bottle and she glanced at it in surprise.

"Did Alice…?"

"No," he grinned, "I just made an educated guess."

Bella shook her head. "You're incredible. Come in and let me introduce you to everyone."

For the next several minutes, she stood in the kitchen and watched Edward charm Manoj, Ben and Carissa. Bella marveled at how easily he fit in with her friends. Carissa, of course, was making every effort to keep his interest. She was used to men dancing attendance on her. And why not? Beautiful and statuesque, with hazel eyes and curly blonde hair that cascaded down her back, no one was surprised that she modeled to help pay her way through grad school.

Watching Carissa flirt with Edward, Bella could see that he looked slightly uncomfortable. When he flashed her a desperate glance, she decided to take pity on the poor vampire and save him from Carissa's beautifully-manicured clutches.

"Edward," she called him, "Would you mind helping me get this chicken out of the oven?"

He was at her side in a flash, the unnecessary oven mitts on his hands before Bella had a chance to blink.

"Careful," she joked softly, knowing the others wouldn't hear her. "You moved so fast that you almost gave yourself away."

Edward rolled his eyes and grinned at her. "Thanks for rescuing me, although a little warning would have been nice!"

Bella couldn't resist teasing him. "Why? From how you reacted to the nurse at the hospital, I thought you liked blondes."

"Bella," he friend growled, carefully retrieving the chicken and placing it on the stovetop. He stepped closer to her. "Don't you realise that you shouldn't tease a vampire?"

She feigned indifference, although she knew he probably heard her heart rate pick up. "Pff, I'm not scared of you."

Edward's lovely amber eyes narrowed playfully. "You're lucky we're in a room full of people." He reached around her to replace the oven mitts, his arm brushing her hip. "And for the record, I prefer brunettes."

Bella wasn't sure if she welcomed the knock on the door or not. Domen entered, late as usual, bearing plastic litre bottles and ice.

"I'm here," he announced, grinning. "The party can start now."

"Too late with the drinks, man," retorted Manoj. "The party started when Edward brought the wine."

Domen moved toward the kitchen, catching sight of a tall, bronze-headed man standing close to his "little sister." _Uh-oh_, thought Bella. _If he starts harassing Edward, I'll kill him. Or take away his blueberry muffins_.

The tall Croatian plopped the ice and drinks on the counter, then gave Bella a quick, gentle hug. "How are you feeling?" he asked with concern.

Bella shrugged. "I'm fine. Better than yesterday."

Domen turned to Edward, extending his hand. "I'm Domen Kresnik. Bella told me what you did for her after she crashed her truck. Any time you need anything…" He paused suddenly as Edward returned the handshake. Bella thought she heard him say something like "Kudlak."

It was Edward's reaction that worried her further. He stood motionless. The two men faced each other, dark grey eyes challenging amber ones. She was struck by the similarities between them. Same height and build, similar skin tone and bone structure.

"Istria Peninsula?" asked Edward, breaking the silence. His velvet voice was slightly tense.

Domen nodded shortly. "Yes, Pula."

"It's a beautiful area," Edward continued in a more normal tone. "The Roman ruins there are fascinating. Perhaps we can discuss them in depth later."

"So who's up for the Broom Dance while we're waiting for the rice to finish?" Carissa suddenly asked brightly.

Just like that, the party atmosphere reappeared, and everyone scrambled to find the broom and move furniture. Domen busily filled plastic cups while Bella reached up for the wine glasses in the cupboard above her head.

"Let me do that," offered Edward, deftly choosing four glasses. "No stretching for you yet."

Bella sighed, knowing her was right. No sense in aggravating her bruised ribs without a good reason.

"What happened with Domen?" she whispered. "It was almost as if he knew you."

Edward looked down at her with a wry smile. "You are too perceptive. Domen and I hadn't met before, but he had some interesting thoughts regarding me…and you. Nothing to worry about."

She wasn't buying it. "What are you hiding from me, Edward Cullen?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Promise?"

He lightly touched the tip of her nose. Although she knew Edward couldn't mean it in that way, that small gesture somehow made her feel…cherished.

"I promise, Bella," he smiled.

"OK everyone," announced Carissa, remote in one hand and broom in the other. "Here's how we play. There are seven of us. Everyone grabs a partner, and whoever is the odd one out dances with the broom. I'll start the music. When it stops, you switch partners." A mischievous grin lit her carefully made-up face. "If you are stuck with the broom three times, you have to sing a song of our choice."

Everyone groaned.

"Let's hope Domen doesn't get the broom three times," remarked Ben. "I don't think our ears could stand it."

Domen grinned good-naturedly. "I'll have a special serenade just for you, Ben. I'm sure Angela won't mind."

"Not if you let me get my earplugs first!" Bella's mild-mannered friend retorted.

"Babe, you would let me suffer?" mock-whined Ben. Bella couldn't help smiling. He had come a long way from the shy, insecure boy she and Angela knew in high school.

"I'll make it up to you later."

The resulting chorus of "Wooohhhs" had poor Angela's cheeks flaming. Bella exchanged laughing glances with Edward as they joined the group. He answered with his crooked smile and a subtle wink. _Oh geez, now I'm blushing too. Stupid sexy vampire. _

Much to her relief, Carissa switched on the music, and Bella found her hands caught by Domen. Carissa, surprising no one, immediately snatched Edward. Angela and Ben were together, leaving Manoj laughingly doing the cha-cha with the broom.

"I'm not so sure I approve of that guy, Little Sis. There's something off about him."

Bella rolled her eyes, hoping that Edward wasn't paying attention. "He's a good man, Domen. Besides, there's nothing for you to approve of."

Her friend frowned and bent a little closer to her. "Just be careful, OK? If he does anything to hurt you, I'll rip off his…"

"Shh!" she admonished. "Quit worrying. I'm a big girl, you know."

"A big girl with an even bigger heart." Bella looked up at Domen in astonishment. In spite of their close friendship, he rarely made comments like that. "What? Can't a brother say something nice about his sister?"

The sudden silence saved Bella from answering. "Bella!" Angela called out. She and Bella ran to each other while the others scrambled to find new partners. Carissa grimaced when she found her partner was the broom, but jokingly curtsied to it before starting the music again.

"OK," whispered Angela. "On the next round, I'll grab Manoj and you go for Edward. Agreed?"

Bella grinned. "Done!" She knew he'd heard the plan when she saw him say something quietly to his partner Manoj, and they both looked over at her and Angela.

"Hey, hey!" protested Domen, "No collusion, girls!"

"Like you don't do it too!" Carissa mocked. "Ben, you're with me next. There's no way I'm getting this broom again!"

When the music stopped, Domen tried to get to Ben before Carissa did, but almost knocked Bella over when she accidently crossed his path. Cool hands grasped her waist from behind to steady her.

"Gotcha!" Edward declared softly. Domen, with an anxious apology to Bella, reluctantly picked up the abandoned broom.

When Carissa restarted the music, Bella took Edward's proffered hands. Warm tingles ran up her arms at his touch. _Damn_, she thought irritably, _why can't I control this idiotic school-girl blushing?_

"I like it," her partner responded with a heart-melting smile. _Now he's dazzling me. Perfect, just perfect. Get a grip, Bella_.

Almost in response, Edward tightened his gentle grip on her hands as they swung to the eighties pop music that blasted from Carissa's iPod. Gathering her wayward thoughts together, she commented, "We need to make sure that Domen doesn't dance with the broom again. You _really_ don't want to hear him sing."

"No problem. I can tell when Carissa is about to stop the music, and who plans to go with whom."

"Cheater," scolded Bella teasingly. Edward only grinned, unabashed. "How do you feel about the party so far?"

"It's fun. Your friends truly care about you, even Carissa." Edward's golden eyes twinkled. "I've heard at least three mental death threats toward me if I do anything to hurt you. Those, and two verbal ones."

Bella grimaced. "I'm sorry for Domen's reaction. He's very protective of me."

"With good reason. As we already established, you're a magnet for trouble."

Bella felt the sudden need to switch to a lighter topic. Summoning a teasing smile, she inquired, "So how long has it been since you've danced with a human girl?"

"A little over ninety years," smiled Edward, leaning closer so that he could speak more quietly. "The last time was in 1918, at a school dance."

A loud crack startled everyone into silence. Looking behind her, Bella spotted an bewildered Domen holding two broken pieces of the broom.

"Oops, sorry Bella. I'll buy you a new one."

What the heck? How did he snap that thick wooden handle? "Better make it steel next time," she responded lightly.

"Well," Angela interjected into the awkward silence, "This looks like a good time to start the food." Bella shot her a grateful look.

The rest of the evening was relatively uneventful, thank goodness. As Bella anticipated, Manoj couldn't resist a good emotionally-charged atmosphere. Tonight he was in his element.

"Your Edward has had his eyes on you all evening," he teased Bella gently, helping her load plates into the dish washer. "Anything you'd like to tell me?"

"No," she responded shortly, softening it with a small smile. "There's nothing going on, Manoj. Now that you're happily engaged to the girl of your dreams back home in India, you're seeing romance everywhere."

Manoj's bright white smile flashed against his dark skin. "You're falling in love with him," he whispered in a sing-song tone. "By the look of him, it's mutual."

"It's not," she whispered back.

"Ah-ha! So you _are_ in love with him!"

Bella glanced at Edward, hoping that he hadn't heard her , he seemed to be in deep conversation with Domen. "Manoj, you and Alice would get along beautifully."

His suspicions confirmed, grinned at her. "Evading the topic. It's a good sign."

Bella sighed. Of all her friends, Manoj was the one with whom she could freely discuss her emotions. Although it was mainly because he wouldn't let something go until he fully understood it, he also had a way of putting things in perspective. She also remembered when, a couple of years ago, before he met his fiancée, he'd become infatuated with Carissa. Now _that_ was a mess. Manoj was not the type to hide his feelings. Thank God he found his Priya.

By 1:00am the party was winding down. Angela decided to stay at Ben's apartment so that they could drive to her parents' house in the morning. Domen was the last to leave, exchanging a few words with Edward in Croatian.

The apartment seemed strangely quiet. Bella slowly packed the left-over chicken into the 'fridge while Edward moved the furniture back onto place. Her adrenaline high from the party came crashing down, leaving her exhausted and achy.

"So you speak Croatian?" she spoke up, a propos nothing. "Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

"Get pregnant?"

Bella sighed. "You could probably figure out a way to make that happen too," she grumbled. "What were you and Domen talking about for so long?"

Edward fluffed one of the sofa pillows at an uncharacteristically human pace, frowning. "Domen cares for you very much. It took quite a lot of convincing for him to trust me with you." He abruptly picked up a piece of paper that rested face-down on a side table, and looked to Bella. "I showed him this sketch I drew of James and Victoria."

Bella nodded, walking over to him and studying the sketch. Her tired mind still managed to process the details of pony-tailed blond man and flame-haired woman. She repressed a shiver.

"What did you tell him?"

"That these two may be stalking you, and to keep his eyes open but not to go after them."

She nodded again, stifling a yawn. "Are you…where are you staying tonight?" Although she wouldn't admit it to the ridiculously attractive man next to her, his mentioning James and Victoria suddenly made her very nervous of spending the night alone in her too-quiet apartment. Edward noticed.

"My place still has no furniture. Would it be alright if I stayed here again tonight?"

Relief washed through Bella. "Of course."

Edward released the breath he didn't even notice he was holding. "There's something else I need to tell you." He moved slightly closer. Bella's own breath hitched, her imagination running away with her.

"I think I know why I can't hear your mind."

Oh.

"Why?"

He took her hands gently in his. "I believe you have a latent talent, probably inherited. A mental shield. I felt it slip slightly while we were dancing."

Great. Now he could read her mind after all? No, he was frowning. Good.

"Hmm. I thought it may have been because I held your hands, but now I still can't hear you." He didn't let go of her hands, however. "Maybe it had something to do with you feeling relaxed and secure with your friends – secure enough to unconsciously let it down."

This was getting to be too much for her tired brain to handle. She pulled away from Edward and sat down on the sofa, staring at her lap. What did this all mean? Hereditary? From whom? Renee? Or Charlie? Renee had always been testing her "psychic" abilities. What if they were real?

_And what does this mean for you?_ a meek inner voice queried. _Your parents and cousin were all mentally unstable. Will you become that way also?_

"Am I going to go crazy, like them?" She didn't realize that she'd asked that aloud until Edward sat next to her and wrapped a cool, comforting arm around her.

"No Bella. In fact, it's probably protecting you. It's a gift, not a curse."

A slightly hysterical laugh escaped her. "Edward, I'm not sure I can process all this. Next you'll be telling me that I'm actually a witch. Maybe Manoj is a werewolf! Oh, I know. Angela is really Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Is that what you're going to tell me?"

Edward's golden eyes bored into hers. He looked…worried? "Actually, no. Angela isn't Buffy the Vampire Slayer." He hesitated before adding, "Domen is."


	8. Chapter 8: Legendary

**_Well, at least it didn't take as long as the last chapter :).  
_**

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

_**CHAPTER 8: Legendary**_

"_Actually, no. Angela isn't Buffy the Vampire Slayer." He hesitated before adding, "Domen is."_

Edward felt Bella stiffen under his arm and mumble something under her breath. It sounded like, "Bella, you have now entered the Twilight Zone."

He couldn't prevent the silent laughter that shook his chest. Feeling it, Bella glared up at the face that was now so close to hers.

"OK Edward," she announced, "There's no way I'll be able to sleep without knowing the details. I'm going to walk over to that counter, pour a glass of that fabulous pinot grigio you brought, and listen while you explain to me exactly what the hell is going on here."

"Almost," countered Edward, getting to his feet. "_I'm_ bringing you the fabulous pinot grigio. You stay put."

Before she even had a chance to protest, he'd already placed the bottle and wine glass on the coffee table. Of course, he'd already assessed how long ago Bella had taken her prescription ibuprofen, and knew full well that she'd refused to ingest a single Vicodin. He sighed as he sank down next to her. "If I were human I'd join you. The past thirty-six hours have been…"

"Surreal?"

"Yes."

Bella leaned back and sipped the light golden liquid. For the fifty-third time since he'd known her, Edward wished he could hear her thoughts. _She's probably beyond freaked out,_ he surmised. _She wants to pack up, move to Florida, and forget this whole mess ever happened. She's wondering why on earth…_

"You're fidgeting."

"What?" _Make that the fifty-fourth time_.

Bella looked amused. Maybe she could read _his_ mind.

"I've never known a vampire to fidget. Have you always run your hand through your hair like that?"

"I'm not…" Well, drat. He self-consciously lowered his hand. "Perhaps you're bringing out the human in me." For some reason, his answer seemed to please her.

"Thank you for the wine," Bella said quietly. "Please don't let me drink more than three glasses. I lose my verbal filter by then, and I don't want to do that with you…again."

He cocked an inquisitive eyebrow, but all she said was "Tell me about Domen. I saw you two talking for a long time."

Edward nodded, his mind going back to that particular conversation. _Better start at the beginning, Cullen_, he instructed himself. _She'll know if you're not telling her everything_.

Briefly Edward wondered at how Domen never met Alice and Jasper before. Perhaps Alice had some vision that it wouldn't be a good idea. _She could have warned me, _he thought with a touch of irritation. He clearly needed to speak with that elfin vampire again…later. Right now, Bella was his priority.

"When Domen saw me," he began, "he was reminded of a legend his grandfather told him about the Priculics of Wallachia. Wallachia, as you may know, combined with Moldova to form Romania. Transylvania joined about half a century later. During the day, the Priculics is supposed to be a handsome young man with pale skin, red hair and two hearts, but at night it turns into a huge black dog that drinks the blood of humans."

"A vampire?" breathed Bella. Edward nodded, and she took a hasty sip of her wine. "But Domen is Croatian, not Romanian."

"Yes, this is true. However, it seems that his grandfather performed quite a study of vampires and vampire legends. He swore that they were real, although Domen didn't believe him. He thought they were the ramblings of an old man."

Edward now watched Bella very carefully. She was taking this unexpectedly well. But then, vampires were a part of her life. Was she truly this accepting, or was her mind shielding her from a normal reaction?

"Go on," Bella prompted.

"Domen's family is from Istria, a region of Croatia on the Adriatic, sometimes called the 'Croatian Tuscany.' It has several beautiful resort towns, including Pula, which contains the ruins of a Roman coliseum." Great, he was babbling. Since when did vampires babble? Since now.

Bella nodded. "The Romans called it 'terra magica.' Domen is very proud of his home. Edward, please tell me what's going on with my brother."

"Legends from this region speak of 'krsnik' and 'vorkudlak,' which are essentially incarnations of good and evil. A baby born with a caul would become either a kresnik or a kudlak. The kudlaks are supposedly sheathed in red or black cauls, and kresniks in white ones."

Ah, now he had Bella's attention. "Domen's last name is Kresnik. He's really a…vampire hunter? Slayer?"

"In his case, yes he is. So, it appears, was his grandfather. Just because he was born with a white caul doesn't make him a kresnik, but for some reason all actual kresniks have one. Real vampires, of course, don't turn into black dogs at night, and you know that vampires aren't born, but created. It's also highly unlikely that Domen would turn into a white beast, as the legend portends."

"Does he…does he want to kill you? Can he?" Bella seemed to have forgotten all about her wine glass, which she held frozen in mid-air.

"We're instinctual enemies, Bella," Edward responded seriously. "In my presence, Domen observed that his hearing and vision became sharper, and his strength increased. I'm sure you noticed what happened to the broom. He heard me tell you that I hadn't danced with a human since 1918. It confirmed his suspicions of what I am."

"So he could possibly kill you?" persisted the beautiful human next to him, worry lacing her voice.

"Yes." He could also kill Domen. Why was she so concerned about himself? Perhaps she hadn't considered that possibility yet.

"Does he want to kill you? Why did he leave me alone with you, after he found out what you are?"

Edward smiled wryly. "I'm hoping that I talked him out of ending my existence. This is all new to him. As I said, he thought they were merely a bunch of legends to frighten children and explain odd disappearances. Now the stories are suddenly real, and Domen is in the middle of them. Regarding him leaving you alone with me, that wasn't easy." _To put it mildly_, he added silently. _Domen was ready to bolt with his "sister" the second he realized_.

"I explained the differences between 'vegetarian' vampires and the usual human-drinking type. I also brought up Alice and Jasper, who have been your friends for years. Not to mention that your honorary brother is interested in joining us against James and Victoria."

_Oh, and I might have admitted that I'm falling in love with you and would rather die than have any harm come to you_, he added silently. _That sort of tipped the scale in my favor._

"He actually believed you?" Bella looked dubious, as well she should. She took another swallow of her wine.

"I never said it was easy to convince him," countered Edward. "He still doesn't trust me completely, but he seems to have an innate ability to determine if someone is lying. Besides that, at the moment I'm the only one he can talk to about this."

Surprisingly, Bella giggled. "Domen's bull shit radar strikes again. He's known for it."

Edward studied his friend. She hadn't even finished her second glass of wine. However, her cheeks were flushed, and her beautiful brown eyes appeared slightly glassy. She'd also edged closer, her scent and the warmth of her body radiating out to him.

"So he's not going to tear you to pieces?"

"I fervently hope not."

"And you won't hurt him either."

"I have no reason to. He's a good guy, on top of being your 'brother.'"

Bella's eyelids were starting to droop. "I'm glad. I don't want to lose either of you."

She looked as if she'd flop sideways at any moment. Edward scooted closer to her, until they were sitting arm-to-arm.

"Mmm…nice and cool," she murmured. He smiled down at her. Honestly, she reminded him of a sleepy kitten. Nervous excitement fluttered through his body as he swallowed the venom pooling in his mouth.

"Nice and warm," he teased back. _And tasty_, his inner monster added gleefully. _Shut it_, Edward warned the monster, effectively shoving him back.

He could tell that Bella was struggling to keep her eyes open, and the wine wasn't helping. By now, her head had dropped onto his shoulder. "Bella, don't you want to go to bed?"

Not that he wanted her to leave this spot. He'd be happy to let her stay cuddled up against him like this all night.

"Hmmm…if you come with me."

"What?" he exclaimed, startled. Why, oh why, couldn't he read her mind? He needed to figure out the trigger for her shield – fast.

The jerk of his shoulder brought Bella to her senses. She immediately lifted her head and moved slightly away from him, her cheeks flaming.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "That came out wrong. I guess my verbal filter left early."

"Only two glasses," Edward informed her, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. _She's adorable when flustered_, he decided. _I need to do that more often._

"So what else did you tell Domen?" asked Bella hurriedly, clearly trying to draw the conversation away from herself.

Resigned, Edward continued. "I needed him to trust me, so I told him as much about vampires as I could. He now knows about the Volturi. What's more, his is aware that the only way to destroy a vampire is to incinerate them, preferably tearing them to pieces first so they can't get away from the fire."

Bella shuddered, a horrifying image of that happening to the man beside her crossing her mind.

"Bella? Are you cold?" Edward immediately moved further away, in case his body was chilling her.

"No. I just…I don't want such a thing to ever happen to you. Or to Alice or Jasper either."

Outside he may be a centenarian vampire, but his inner human teenager bounced with elation. This was the second time tonight that Bella indicated that she didn't want him harmed.

_Oh, get real_, his inner voice scoffed. _She says she doesn't want you to die violently, and you think she's in love with you. Jeez._

"It won't happen, Bella," he told her soothingly, unconsciously scooting toward her again.

Her beautiful brown eyes narrowed. "You can't promise me that."

"No," sighed Edward, "I can't. However, the chances are very, _very_ slim."

Bella didn't respond immediately, and he could see that her eyes were drooping again. He also noted the tension around the corners of her mouth, as if she were in pain. Her damaged ribs must be aching.

"You need to sleep," he told her softly. "The monsters can wait."

"You're not a monster," she responded drowsily, struggling to her feet. "And you always wait for me…whoa!" Edward quickly stood and grasped Bella's elbow as she swayed. She graced him with a vague, beatific smile, leaning awkwardly on him.

"Two glasses, huh?" he repeated teasingly. She'd only taken a couple more lurching steps before Edward decided it was time to intervene. Before Bella could react, he'd scooped her up bridal style (mindful of her bruised ribs) and was striding toward her bedroom.

"Edward!" she shrieked. "Put me down!"

He grinned down at her, enjoying the sensation of holding this lovely human, her arms clutching his shoulders for dear life. As if there were even a chance of him dropping her.

'What do you think you're doing?"

He sat her gently on her mattress. Bella, as anticipated, was beet red. His amber eyes twinkled wickedly.

"I must admit, I've never had such a difficult time getting a woman to bed."

"Edward!" How was it possible for Bella to be more flushed? She covered her face with her hands. "Oh God. I hope I don't remember this in the morning."

Edward laughed. "I hope you do!" He decided to take pity on her. "I'll put the wine away and settle in with my book. Will you be alright?"

Bella nodded, still hiding her face. Ten minutes of quiet later, Edward decided to check on her, and discovered her still in her day clothes, propped up against her pillows, dozing. He was glad that she wasn't actually lying down, given the state of her ribs.

Smilingly shaking his head, he unearthed Bella's spare blanket and gently tucked it around her. She stirred and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

"Mmm…thank you Edward," she murmured contentedly, eyes still closed.

"You're welcome," he whispered softly. He was just about to leave the room when her sleepy voice halted him.

"I still don't know why you bother."

Edward frowned. "Bother with what?"

"Me…must feel sorry…"

Her words went straight through his unbeating heart. He flashed to her side, crouching down so that he was level with her. Bella's eyes were still closed, and he just barely stopped himself from smoothing away the little frown line between her eyebrows with his finger.

"No love," he whispered. "It's not pity or guilt. It's because you're worth it."

Edward wasn't sure if she'd even heard him, but after a brief moment her lips lifted into a faint smile. Two minutes later she was asleep. For a long while he simply watched her, listening to her heartbeat and slow, gentle breathing. Then he retreated to the living room to make a few phone calls.

The first involved a lengthy discussion with Carlisle regarding kresniks. From what Edward could gather, Carlisle was torn between worry about his son's safety and curiosity to meet an actual vampire hunter. The curiosity was winning.

When the topic changed to protecting the humans from James and Victoria, Carlisle asked, "Did you say Angela Weber? Reverend Weber's daughter? He mentioned that his daughter and her boyfriend Ben would be visiting this weekend. _She's_ Bella's roommate?"

OK, this was getting to be a bit much. "You know her?"

"Not in person. Her father is quite proud of her, however. That would mean…" Edward could practically hear his father's brain turning. "Ah, now I remember. Charlie Swan was the chief of police here in Forks about seven years ago, before he retired. I recall his daughter coming into the emergency room a couple of times." There was amusement in his voice.

"You know _Bella_? Where was I?"

"You were in the Six Year Med program at Northwestern. It was soon after we moved here. She was somewhat accident-prone."

Edward groaned. "Why am I not surprised?"

His father was silent for a moment. "We'll keep watch over Angela and Ben while they're in town. You focus on Bella."

"As if I could focus on anything else," murmured Edward, half to himself.

He sent his love to his family, then hung up, leaving him to his thoughts. Those and the thoughts of approximately two hundred other people in very close proximity. Living in an apartment building was, to him, like having a mild headache all the time. There were just too many people, no break from the hundreds of thoughts surrounding him, no matter how well he managed to put them in the background.

It didn't help that several couples (or more) in adjacent apartments were in various stages of…er…relationship development. And there was his own mate sleeping in the next room. How was _tha_t supposed to work out?

He couldn't help himself. He had to see her. So, like some sort of creepy stalker, he carefully opened Bella's bedroom door and silently sat on the floor by her bed, allowing his thoughts to run away with him while he watched her sleep.

_Would she ever be able to see me as a man instead of just a vampire friend_, he wondered. _Could _I_ ever see myself that way? Would that kind of relationship even be possible with a human? With Bella? Should he even be considering this?_

No, no he shouldn't. He wasn't stupid. Although Bella tried to hide it, he knew that in some way she was attracted to him. She'd even admitted it to Angela. He heard her heart rate pick up sometimes when she saw him. If his heart were still beating, it would be doing the same thing. At first he thought it was fear or nervousness, but her eyes were always warm and welcoming.

Edward surmised that it was a response to the lures vampires used to attract prey, perhaps with a touch of hero worship. He based his hypothesis on the thoughts of other women, both human and vampire. There was no way that Bella could ever actually love a vampire as she would a human mate. She would be giving up too much to be with him.

_So, once the immediate threat of James and Victoria is removed_, he decided, _I'll leave her alone to live a happy, human life. Maybe I'll observe from a distance, just to make sure she's safe. I'll watch over her children and grandchildren as well._ _That, at least, I could do for her. _

His gloomy thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone vibrating in the living room. Incoming text message. Edward gently brushed a strand of hair from Bella's face, then went to check who was contacting him.

It was from Alice.

_**Bad choice, Edward. U won't be able to stay away. **_

Edward scowled. Interfering pixie vampire.

"We'll see," he muttered.

With a glance toward Bella's room, he determinedly parked himself on Bella's sofa and opened his pediatric neurobiology book once more. _Concentrate, Cullen_, he ordered himself. _No more stalkerish behavior._ _You can ignore the pull of the human woman in the bed over there. The beautiful, beguiling, freesia-scented woman…oh hell._

It was nearly two hours after Bella fell asleep that Edward heard her moving restlessly. _Another nightmare_? Her heart rate spiked, and he could hear her muttering something.

_If she screams, I'm running in there, resolution or not_. But she didn't scream. However, she _was_ making small fretful sounds that worried him. Once he thought her utter, "Come back." Drat, that's what she said during the last nightmare, before the hysteria started. Edward hovered at Bella's door. _See? Not inside the room. Right, technicalities._

"Edward," she murmured. Bella's breath hitched, her heart rate spiking again. Edward inhaled a sharp, unnecessary breath along with her. And with it he smelled…arousal? This wasn't a nightmare, it was…and he was in it. Oh, holy….

_Go on, boy_, his inner monster taunted. _Go make her dreams come true, then feed me!_

Instinctively, fascinated, Edward moved forward, resolution already forgotten, until he was standing next to Bella. As if sensing his presence, she calmed, emitting a satisfied "Mmmm," a small smile on her lips. Her fingers, which had been gripping the blanket, relaxed.

Edward's brain, and other parts of his anatomy, were in overdrive. He did what any gentlemanly, vegetarian vampire, when confronted with his unsuspecting human mate and singer having erotic dreams, would do in this situation. He bolted for the living room.

Oh, thank god, the pediatric neurology text. _In most patients, the disease results from homozygous deletions involving exon 7 of the SMN gene at locus 5q13_. Edward sighed, shifting uncomfortably.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Sorry - a little fluffy. However, the next chapter is already in the works! I toyed with the idea of an "I told you so" message from Alice. What do you think?**

**Happy New Year, everyone!**


	9. Chapter 9: Developing

**_It seems that I begin every chapter with an apology (*sigh*). _**

**_Anyway, in the last chapter Bella and Edward had a heart-to-heart about the nature of kresniks and vampires, and Edward discovered that (1) apparently his whole family already knew Bella, and that (2) Bella had interesting dreams. _**

**_This chapter is dedicated to the ever-patient DutchGirl01, whose PM reminded me that I needed to get off my duff (or rather sit on my duff in front of my laptop) and finish this chapter! Thanks, DutchGirl01! It's readers like you that keep me going. _**

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

**_CHAPTER 9: Developing_**

Bella awoke to bright sunlight and an extremely painful chest. She'd been warned that getting up in the morning would be the worst time, but yesterday she still had the hospital's painkillers in her system. Today she was on her own. With a heavy groan, she stood up carefully and made her torturous way to the bathroom.

Was she seriously so drunk last night that she didn't even change her clothes? Ugh, she needed a shower.

Washed and dressed ten minutes later, Bella held a silent conversation with her tooth-brushing self in the mirror. In spite of the whole your-brother-is-a-vampire-hunter thing, last night was fun. Edward even flirted with her, which is probably what triggered that one particularly vivid but extremely pleasant dream she recalled. Of course, he's gorgeous and unattached, and probably flirts with all women to some degree. Hadn't she already accused him of dazzling people?

_He didn't flirt with Carissa_, her inner voice reminded her. _In fact, he made a point to stay away from her. _

"That's because he knows she'd take it the wrong way," Bella retorted out loud. "He probably considers me safe."

Oops, he undoubtedly heard that. Damn vampire super hearing. At least he couldn't read her mind.

Correction, he _could_ read her mind. Once. She tried to remember what she'd been thinking about at the time. He'd just taken her hands to dance, right after catching her around the waist to prevent her from falling.

The world around her faded as she relived those few minutes. Bella vividly recalled the warm tingle that ran up her arms. What was it he said to her? Something about liking that ridiculous blushing of hers? What _was_ she thinking? _Ignorance is bliss, Bella_, she reminded herself. _You probably don't want to know._

Bella walked slowly into the living room, almost afraid to face Edward in the clear light of day. What did she tell him last night? Did he think less of her?

Wait, where was he? She spotted his book laid perfectly in the centre of the coffee table, but no Edward.

"Edward?" she called quietly. No answer. She wandered around the apartment, seeking clues to Edward's whereabouts.

_Don't panic, Bella. He's probably just stepped out for a bit. Or a bite. He'd never leave you unprotected unless…James got him, he decided you weren't worth it after all…he…he_

_He left a note_. There it was, on the bedside table right by her bed, with "Bella" written in bold, flowing script. How did she miss that?

Feeling silly, she unfolded the paper.

**Dear Bella. I am upstairs supervising the arrival of "our" bed. Feel free to join me. Edward.**

Relieved, she grinned at her friend's teasing tone, and was out the door and up the stairs faster than she thought possible. She should get him a housewarming gift, she decided. Normally it would be a bottle of wine, but what did one give a vampire? A bottle of blood?

Edward opened the door just as she arrived, her favourite crooked smile gracing his handsome face.

"So our bed has arrived, has it?" she joked.

He grinned. "It has. You came to test it out?"

As expected, Bella went bright red, but refused to be outdone. "Yup! I can't let _you_ be the first one to sleep in it." She shot her friend a smirk as he chuckled.

"Coffee?" he offered as she walked in.

Bella sniffed appreciatively. Mmm…dark roasted Arabica. "Seriously? You actually made coffee? Are you expecting company?"

"Only you," he smiled. Before she could come up with a suitable response, a steaming mug appeared on the kitchen counter.

Bella sighed, eagerly wrapping her hands around the warm cup. "Could you be more perfect?" Whoops, she'd said that out loud. Fantastic.

Edward was still smiling, but now it didn't reach his eyes. "Being a vampire automatically excludes me from any claim to perfection."

_You're still perfect for me_, she thought to herself. Good thing she'd kept her mouth shut that time.

"So does being human," Bella retorted. She had to get him to stop this ridiculous self-deprecation. It was starting to irritate her.

Bella wandered to a spot in Edward's living room and parked herself cross-legged on the floor, propping her back against the cream-coloured wall. She motioned for him to join her.

Taking a calming sip of coffee, she mused, "How do I find a way to make you see yourself clearly?"

"Hmm?" Edward's golden eyes narrowed as he lowered himself gracefully to the floor. "I don't follow you."

_Oh, you will, if I have a say in it_. "I hate hearing you continually put yourself down. Frankly, it's becoming annoying. You're a vampire, and you can't change that. What you _can_ change is your behavior and how you view yourself. What I see is someone with a beautiful spirit, a brilliant mind and heart, and amazing self-discipline. On top of that, you're fun to be with. You're wonderful, so knock off this 'I'm a monster' crap! I'm beginning to think that you actually enjoy beating yourself up. Get over it already!"

If she hadn't been so wrapped up in her tirade, Bella would have been amused by Edward's shocked expression. They stared at each other, brown eyes to gold. Her chest moved up and down in agitation, probably because she's barely taken a breath for the entire rant.

The beautiful man in front of her hadn't moved. Oh shit, she'd gone too far. All he ever did was go out of his way for her, and here she was criticizing him. Heck, she was even sipping his coffee while she railed at him. What was wrong with her?

"Edward, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

He held up a long white hand to forestall her. "It's OK Bella."

"But…"

"You're right."

"I have no…wait, what?"

Edward's mouth crooked into a wry smile. "You're right. I do tend to dwell on it too much. I'm surprised that you feel so strongly about it, though, considering our conversation yesterday."

Yesterday? What was yesterday? Oh yeah, she was putting herself down and _he_ was telling _her_ to stop.

"Touché," she ruefully admitted, lifting her mug in acknowledgement.

"I have a proposition for you, Bella. If you make an effort not to do it, then so will I."

Inspiration struck. "I have a better idea. It'll be a competition. The first one to utter a self-pitying, self-deprecating comment loses."

"Oh?" Ah, the competitive vampire nature is intrigued! "And why should I enter into this competition with you?"

"Well, if you don't think you'd be able to do it…"

"What is the prize for the winner?"

She thought quickly. "One wish. You agree to grant me one wish, no strings attached. Oh, except that you can't wish for more wishes."

"Only if you win." He flashed a mischievous grin. "Which you won't. So when you lose, you grant me one wish? Done!"

Bella held out her hand to shake his and seal the deal. After a brief hesitation, he took it squeezed gently. The now-familiar tingle shot up her forearm at the contact. When Edward tried to pull away, she gripped his hand tightly before releasing it.

"It never ceases to amaze me that you don't mind touching my skin," he commented, half to himself.

"Uh-uh Cullen, don't lose this competition already!"

Edward grinned. "Not a chance. So what's on the agenda today?"

A couple of hours later they were in the middle of running errands for Bella. Her handsome chauffeur drew more than his share of speculative looks from her colleagues at the small community center where she taught English. One of them took one look at Edward and gave Bella s thumbs up. It was too much to hope that her sharp-eyed companion missed it.

"So the university next? Then lunch and Seattle Children's?" he inquired, easily keeping pace with Bella as she walked rapidly down the long driveway to the parking lot.

"OK," she responded shortly, carefully avoiding looking at him.

He gently grasped her elbow from behind, bringing her to a halt. "Hold on, Miss Locomotive. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Let's go."

Edward shook his head. "You're a terrible liar. Talk to me, please." He smiled that disarming smile of his. "I can't read your mind, remember?"

She huffed. "Fine. If you really must know, I'm embarrassed that you have to put up with what they're probably thinking."

He quirked a teasing eyebrow. "You can read minds too? What do you think they're thinking?"

Bella concentrated on looking severe. "They're wondering if there's anything going on between us, some are hoping there is, and most of the women are thinking of ways to attract your attention. That had better not be a laugh I see coming, Cullen."

Edward hastily swallowed the chuckle that threatened to escape, but Bella wasn't fooled. "It's not a laughing matter. It's humiliating!"

"No, their thoughts of how I look naked, in bed with them – _those_ are humiliating."

She gaped at him. "Seriously? They're thinking _that_?"

"A couple of them. As for the others, you're quite accurate. Maybe I'm rubbing off on you." He rubbed her jacket-covered shoulder for good measure. When he saw that she truly looked distressed, he added, "Bella, it happens all the time. I've learned to ignore it, as long as their thoughts aren't screaming at me."

Now Bella felt ridiculously over-sensitive. Compared to what Edward had to put up with, a few speculative looks in her direction were nothing. Of course, now that he mentioned it, her mind also wandered briefly to similar thoughts. _Focus, Bella_.

They started walking toward Edward's silver Volvo once more. She didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry," sounded too…trite. Fortunately, he switched the topic to the children and adults she taught. It was a passion of hers, and Edward proved to be a very interested listener. Bella barely registered the drive to UW.

In front of Padelford Hall, where the English Department was housed, Edward asked, "Paddle-ford?"

"Pah-dell-ford," corrected Bella automatically. "It's not exactly the easiest building to navigate, but we love its idiosyncrasies. Disconnected towers, dead-end hallways…you can immediately tell who belongs here and who doesn't."

Edward grinned. "I suppose I should learn it quickly, then."

"We'll see," his friend retorted, rolling her eyes. "It was built in the 1960's by someone whose primary architectural focus was on prisons. Ironic, isn't it?"

Edward chuckled, holding the door open for Bella after she unlocked it. The building seemed deserted, and their footsteps echoed eerily in the semi-darkened hallways.

"Are you sure you're supposed to be here today?" he inquired, clearly on the alert. "Ah, Domen and Manoj are nearby."

Bella nodded. "We all need to prepare for our classes that start tomorrow. I still have to make copies of handouts for about thirty of my students."

A few minutes later Bella unlocked the door to the English Department. Domen and Manoj looked up from their task of stapling papers.

"Hey Bella," Manoj greeted her cheerfully. "Edward, good to see you again." His keen, smiling dark eyes flickered between her and the tall, god-like man next to her. The look she gave Manoj clearly said, "Don't even think about saying anything." Manoj merely grinned and winked at her.

Domen, on the other hand, had stiffened as soon as he saw Edward. "Hello, Edward. Bella, do you have the sample essay we're supposed to give them tomorrow? I can't find my copy, and I'm too lazy to download another one."

They all spent the next hour setting up their course material and discussing how to synchronize their lectures. Bella and her friends were all teaching different sections of the interdisciplinary writing class. It wasn't their favourite, mainly because grading the students' papers was so painful.

Manoj was the first to finish, handing his stapler to Bella. She looked at it in surprise before understanding dawned.

"The automatic stapler in the copier doesn't work again, right?"

"Right!" agreed her friends in unison.

As Manoj left, Bella shot a guilty glance at Edward, who was casually leaning against the wall reading a text book that he'd discovered. Sensing her gaze, he raised his beautiful amber eyes and met her worried brown ones.

"What?" he asked softly.

"You must be so bored. I'm sorry that I'm making you wait for me."

He peeled his lanky frame from the wall and strolled over to the long table on which Bella and Domen had laid out stacks of pages.

"Then let me help. Ah yes, good idea, Domen."

Bella's eyes narrowed. He and Domen were agreeing on something. This couldn't be good.

"Stand back, lady," Domen intoned. "We'll show you how it's done."

With matching smirks, the men quickly laid out ten stacks of papers. Domen gave a short nod, and they rapidly starting constructing the essays assembly-line style, Edward finishing with the stapler. Bella watched in amazement as the pair accelerated until their hands became a blur. Eighty ten-page essays were ready in less than three minutes.

"What the hell was _that_?" demanded Bella

"_Tha_t was a demonstration of what a kresnik can do when someone like me is around."

Domen, flushed and out of breath, grinned. "That was awesome! Next. time we'll see if you're really as fast as you think you are, Cullen."

"I'm faster," retorted the vampire.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Jeez. Time to break up this male ego-fest before you two start comparing…" She broke off.. _Mouth running away with you again, Bella?_

"Feet," she finished lamely, ignoring her friends' chortles.

"Come on," teased Edward. "Let's get you some lunch before you start eating that foot you just put in your mouth."

He ignored the mock death glare she fixed on him. To her disgust, Domen was actually siding with the Annoying Macho Vamp. Some brother he was.

"Are you upset with me?" Edward asked quietly when they were out of the building and making their way back to the car.

Bella tried to maintain her indignant facade, but the penitent look in those warm amber eyes made it impossible. Who was she kidding? She couldn't even pretend to be angry with this man…er...vampire. What's more, he and Domen saved her almost an hour of tedious sorting and stapling.

"No," she sighed. "Actually, I liked seeing you so comfortable with my friends." _And comfortable enough to tease me_, she mentally added.

Edward's answering smile momentarily took her breath away. Then abruptly he stiffened, and the smile fell into a grim line. He put his hand protectively against the small of her back as they walked, his keen eyes scanning the area around them. Knowing better than to distract him, Bella kept quiet. Edward picked up his pace, and it was all Bella could do to keep up with him.

Her companion ushered her into his car and flashed to the driver's seat.

"Buckle in," he instructed curtly, already turning the car around and speeding off down the street. "We need to get away from this empty area and into traffic."

Bella nodded, fumbling a little with the seatbelt, her heart pounding. Edward glanced at her, taking in her anxious eyes and white knuckles.

"James is nearby," he explained quickly. "He plans to separate us and capture you."

Bella nodded again, afraid to speak because she knew her voice would shake. Edward needed to focus on his task, not on her. A couple of minutes later they were on 520 heading west to I-5.

"Are you alright?" she finally asked. His hands were still gripping the wheel too tightly, and he was driving too fast. Surely James wouldn't try anything here? Unless he were in a car.

"No," Edward responded. He took a deep, unnecessary breath. "We lost James, though. Give me a moment, please." He stared straight ahead, refusing to look at her.

"Talk about something normal until I calm down."

Bella hastily cast around in her mind for something to distract him. "Last week we had a new boy starting at the Literacy Center. He has the most adorable red curls and bright green eyes."

"My eyes used to be green as well."

"They were?" She tried to envision the man next to her as a red-haired green-eyed child. "I bet all the little girls were after you." _Still are_. "He sneaked a grape Popsicle, then tried to hide it in his back pocket when his teacher looked his way."

One side of Edward's mouth twitched. "I bet that made a mess."

"Better?"

"A little." He took one of the exits, parked in front of a small business, and finally looked at the woman next to him. "Thank you."

"What happened?"

"I heard James' mind. He was thinking about what he would do to you." Bella saw Edward's eyes grow black again before he turned away. "He won't lay a finger on you. I'll kill him first."

"Edward, you're going to break your steering wheel."

"What? Oh." He released the wheel and pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm sorry that I panicked just now. All I could think about was getting you away from him. I'm also sorry that I got you into this mess in the first place."

"Uh-uh, none of that. Do you want me to win our bet so soon?" There was no way that she'd let him shoulder the blame for this.

He lowered his hand and gave her wry smile. "Do you have any idea how amazing you are?"

"Yup!" Bella responded cheerfully. Her own fear had already worn off. To her astonishment, Edward carefully reached over and stroked her hand with a gentle finger.

"When this James issue is finished, I would like to take you to one of my favourite spots. It is a waterfall that belongs to a branch of the Snoqualmie River, quite far from the usual hiking trails."

Bella's breath hitched, and a warm tingle shot up her arm from where he was touching her hand. He wanted to spend time with her? It sounded almost…romantic. _Get a grip, Bella_, she scolded herself. _He doesn't mean anything by it. Heck, he'll probably forget by this evening._

"I'd like that." Clearly her mouth didn't agree with her brain. Her heart did a flip-flop at her companion's happy smile. _Were all her organs declaring mutiny now?_ As if in response, her stomach uttered an embarrassing growl.

Edward chuckled. "Time to feed the human. Pike Place Market?"

They spent the rest of the day exploring Seattle. Although Bella could tell that he was constantly on the alert for James and Victoria, he seemed intent on making the best of their time together. Not vampire and human, not supernatural predator and prey, just two friends playing tourist. Bella even took him to the Space Needle to view the city at twilight.

It was 10:30 when they returned to their apartment building. Angela wasn't due back until tomorrow evening, and Bella felt nervous about staying alone in her apartment. She didn't admit this to Edward, of course. He'd probably had enough of her company for one day.

He dropped her off at her door, surreptitiously sniffing the air for any trace of vampire. For a moment Bella leaned against her front door, listening to Edward's soft footfalls as he jogged lightly up the stairs. Then, rallying herself, she took a quick shower, donned her long-sleeved high school shirt and plaid lounge pants, popped one of her prescription anti-inflammatories, and curled up carefully on the sofa with a book.

Subtle traces of Edward's scent surrounded her as she leaned back against the sofa pillows. Without thinking, she picked up one of the pillows and inhaled deeply, feeling instantly calmer. _You've got it bad, woman. Pathetic_.

With a sigh she put down the book and closed her eyes. The new quarter started tomorrow, and she had her own classes plus two to teach for her assistantship. In addition, she worked at the Literacy Center three days per week. Her rent payment was due next week, so she needed to make an online appointment at the Blood Center to sell plasma. As much as she hated needles, the extra $250 per month was necessary to keep herself fed and housed.

How on earth was she going to accomplish that without Edward knowing? Given his attraction to her blood, he would freak at the prospect of her selling it. Perhaps Alice could help her.

_OK Bella, you need to do this reading if you don't want to start the quarter already behind._ With resignation she picked up the offending book and doggedly began reading. It didn't help that a pair of warm amber eyes kept appearing on the page. Not literally, of course. With concentration, she was able to ignore them.

An hour later she was still too nervous to go to sleep. _Great_, she thought dryly. _At least I'll be _way_ ahead of the reading assignments if I keep this up_. The knock on her front door at midnight nearly made her jump out of her skin. When her heart resumed a semi-normal pace, she tiptoed to the door and peered through the peephole.

"Bella, it's Edward," his soft, velvety voice called from the other side. Bella immediately unbolted the door and let him in.

"You scared the living bejeezus out of me, Cullen! Don't you believe in telephones?"

"Well, nice to see you too," he teased. "I'm sorry I startled you. I…uh…couldn't sleep."

Bella rolled her eyes, secretly relieved to see him. Leading him to the sofa, she noticed that he carried the large anatomy book that he'd been reading for the past couple of nights.

"I couldn't sleep either," she admitted. "Are you...um...planning to stay the night?" Damn that stupid blushing.

"If you don't mind." He looked almost shy, rubbing the back of his neck. For a vampire, he was surprisingly fidgety. Bella had the impression that if Edward were capable of blushing, he would be doing it now. "I admit that it makes me…anxious…to be away from you. Without your roommate's thoughts to monitor I don't know if you're safe or not."

"So you're feeling guilty that you're not standing guard?" That bothered her. She didn't want to be a responsibility, even with what happened with James earlier today.

"To be honest," he clarified sheepishly, "Being near you makes me feel more at peace. You have no idea how wonderful it feels to be with someone I lo…like and have quiet inside of my head."

"Soothing?" she guessed. "At least I can offer you something in exchange for the raging sore throat I give you." _Whoops, maybe she shouldn't have mentioned that._

"Actually, with so many hours in your presence, I believe I've become somewhat impervious to that."

Edward grinned at her dubious eyebrow raise. "What? It's true."

"Really?"

"Scout's honour."

"Were you ever a scout?"

"Er, no. That didn't start in America until 1910. However, you can still trust my word."

"Actually," confessed Bella, "I was thinking earlier that I feel more at peace when you're around too. And it has nothing to do with sadistic vampires."

She loved how Edward's eyes lit up when she said something that made him happy. He put his book in its now-familiar place on the coffee table and strolled to the kitchen.

"Tea?"

* * *

_Next chapter is already in progress! Anyone who reviews this chapter will receive a small teaser within a couple of days. :-)_


	10. Chapter 10: Trust

_Here's a nice, long chapter for you!_

_In the last chapter, Bella, deciding she'd had enough of Edward's constant self-deprecation, proposes a competition. If Edward said anything negative about himself, he would grant her one wish, and vice-versa. Later, after an exhilarating stapling showdown with Domen, Edward hears James nearby, freaks out, and proceeds to shatter the speed limit in an effort to get away. Finally calming down, they spens the rest of the day together, and part ways. That night, Bella can't sleep, and nearly jumps out of her skin when she finds Edward at her doorstep. The chapter ends with them both admitting that they feel more at peace with the other one there._

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

_**CHAPTER 10: Trust**_

The week should have gone smoothly, thanks to the carefully-arranged plans of three vegetarian vampires and one vampire-hunter. Edward, of course, had volunteered to be part of the Inpatient Medical Service night team, which meant that he was at the hospital from 8:00pm – 8:00am. With newly-engaged Angela's return, there were no more Edward sleep-overs.

For Bella, the jury was still out on whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. She'd noticed that since his last stay on Sunday night, when he admitted that he felt more at peace in her company, he'd started drawing away from her. Just when she'd thought that maybe, just _maybe_, he might like her a little, he pulled away_. Men_, she thought irritably. Of course, he probably realized that he may be unintentionally leading her on, and hence the hasty retreat.

Alice, thankfully, saw Bella's blood donation dilemma and stepped in, informing Edward that he and Jasper should go hunting on Tuesday. Edward looked at her askance, but agreed.

"That was easy," she grinned, practically skipping with Bella to her car.

"Are you sure this won't bother you?" Bella asked for the third time.

"It bothers me that you're reduced to selling your own blood. But I can see that you won't let anyone just give you the money, so as a friend the best I can do is support you in this crazy endeavor."

Bella rolled her eyes and smiled. "What would I do without you, Alice?"

"You would lead a much more boring life," her friend quipped, zipping out of the parking lot at a rate that would have sent most driving instructors into palpitations. "Although at this point I think you'd be OK with that."

"Edward would go nuts if he found out I was doing this, wouldn't he? Not that he has a say in it anyway."

Alice frowned. "No, it _is_ your life after all. On the other hand, deliberately doing things that upset the people you love is rather selfish, don't you think?"

"I don't l...my relationship with Edward isn't like that, Alice. You know that."

"Give it a chance," her friend advised. "You underestimate yourself, and Edward as well."

Before Bella could protest further, Alice switched to a lighter topic. _Well, I suppose she _is_ the psychic_, she thought wryly.

An hour later, Alice was holding a slightly light-headed Bella's arm as she led her to the yellow convertible.. "Why do you do it if the sight of blood make you dizzy?" she demanded.

"It's the smell that gets to me," explained Bella, reaching for her water bottle. "It gives me a rusty taste in my mouth. I'm glad that I gave that full blood donation, though, and not just the plasma. O-negative is hard to find."

"Only seven percent of the U.S. population." Alice agreed. At her friend's raised eyebrows, she added, "What? I happen to be interested in blood."

"Of course you are."

Alice kept up a flow of small talk while Bella munched on an apple. Soon they were at the university, and the light-headedness was gone. Alice insisted on going with her to the grad student office, declaring that she wanted to meet Domen. Thinking back, Bella realized how odd it was that they hadn't met earlier. Clearly Alice had avoided it for a reason.

Domen was the office's only occupant when they arrived. As soon as Alice introduced herself and shook his hand, his expression became wary.

"Shit, another one of you?"

Alice merely nodded, unoffended. "There is also my husband Jasper, and I suspect later you will meet Edward's family."

Domen stood and turned to Bella. She could see that he was trembling slightly. "_This_ is your dear friend? How long have you known what she is?"

"About four years. Domen, you need to calm down. You're about to crush that wireless mouse."

Sure enough, the object in his right hand was starting to crack. He hastily dropped it on the desktop. "Sorry." He addressed Alice. "It's just that some instinct is telling me to attack you."

"She's one of the good ones, brother o' mine."

Domen snorted in disbelief. "Bella, she's a predator, and we're the prey. She's dangerous. So is that Edward guy of yours. Hell, they _drink blood_!"

Suppressing an exasperated sigh, Bella retorted, "So? Have looked at the ingredients of English black pudding, German blutwurst, Polish czernina or Cajun boudin noir? They're all made with blood! Alice and the others actually hunt wild animals, and only take what they need. We humans deliberately regulate hormones to over-impregnate female livestock for the express purpose of over-feeding, slaughtering and eating the offspring. I fail to see how our diet is superior to theirs."

In the face of Bella's ire, Domen hastily backpedalled. "No, no. Nothing personal. I just worry about my sister." He wrapped an arm around Bella's too-thin shoulders and gave them a quick squeeze. "How the hell does she wind up surrounded by a bunch of mythical creatures, anyway?"

Alice looked like she wanted to hug her friend. "There's something about Bella," she responded proudly. "For some reason, she doesn't react to us as most humans do. She just…accepts."

She tilted her dark head thoughtfully. "I wonder if there really is some reason behind it. It's almost as if she attracts creatures like us."

Bella remembered Edward's sardonic remark the day she met him. _Actually, I suspect that you're a magnet for danger._ "Perhaps," she commented, "You're all just drawn to complete nut jobs, and I happened to be in the vicinity."

The others laughed. _Situation successfully defused_, Bella congratulated herself. After some friendly small talk, one of Domen's students showed up, prompting Alice to declare she was late for class.

Bella's first Tuesday-Thursday Comp lecture went well. As expected, Edward was waiting for her outside the classroom, relieving her of the hefty stack of typed two-page essays she carried. Of course, the usual tingle ran up her arms when his cool fingers brushed hers. _Thank God he's not an empath_, she thought, grateful that her tell-tale flush wasn't evident this time.

"Hi," she greeted him. "How was the hospital last night?" _Not brilliant, but at least it sounded normal._

"Peaceful," he responded with a small, crooked smile. "I have some interesting cases, including two hearing-impaired children. It seems that I'm gaining a reputation for figuring out what they want."

Bella couldn't resist smiling. She knew Edward secretly loved this aspect – knowing something that others didn't, and being able to use his insight to help his patients. He wouldn't admit that it gave his ego a much-needed boost.

They talked as they walked back to the grad student office. Manoj was there when they arrived, waggling his eyebrows comically at her when Edward's back was turned. Bella rolled her eyes at him. _I bet Dr. Nosybrain is "hearing" everything. Great_.

"Manoj seems very concerned about your emotional welfare," commented Dr. Nosybrain when they reached his car. Bella relaxed into the soft leather passenger seat of Edward's Volvo. Although she'd used the classroom computer and projector as much as possible, her ribs ached from twisting back and for the between the screen and the students. She didn't realize until just now how tired she was.

"Manoj just wants me to be happy. He's always on the lookout for potential prospects for me."

Her companion chuckled. "Does he bring them for you to inspect?"

"Only after he's run a background check."

She grinned at Edward's incredulous look. "What? You think I'm kidding? His detective skills rival Jasper's, and that's saying something."

Edward mock-groaned. "Good thing I had that birth certificate forged."

He could see Bella's eyelids drooping, in spite of her efforts to snap them up again. There was also a faint smell of fresh blood mixed with isopropyl alcohol. Edward made a mental note to ask her about that later. Oddly enough, his throat wasn't burning any more than usual. Good thing he'd hunted earlier today, though. There was no way that he would take any chances with Bella's safety.

Bella's tired mind flitted in and out of a dream-like state, Edward's beautiful voice speaking about general topics that only required the occasional hum in response. Sometimes she would focus on that voice without really listening to the words. So peaceful.

Tempting as it was, she refused to allow Edward to carry her up to her apartment. Instead, he had to be content with carrying her backpack and trudging slowly next to her. He was probably grateful for the elevator, she thought with amusement. The stairs would have taken forever. He would have been on pins and needles the entire time. Hmmm…perhaps she should have taken the stairs after all.

"Now what's that mischievous grin for?" teased Edward.

"Nothing you need to know," Bella countered saucily. Take that, Dr. Nosybrain.

Once inside her apartment, Edward busied himself making her tea while she went to her bedroom. Her phone beeped, and she absently picked it up to check the message.

**You looked sexy for me in that dark blue shirt, and even hotter in the black lace under it. I want to peel it off you. Make sure you're ready baby. I'm coming for you. **

Bella stared at the screen, her mouth going dry with shock. He was coming for her. James.

She sat abruptly on the corner of her bed. _OK Bella_, she admonished herself. _Don't panic. Think._ _You already know he's out there. This is nothing new._

But this _was_ something new. The message came from a number she didn't recognize. Was someone playing some sort of sick prank on her? She wore the blue shirt for the first time at the party. Not even Angela knew that Bella wore her black lace bra and panty set that evening. In fact, the only one who even had a chance of seeing her underwear that night was the man…the vampire …standing…in… her…kitchen…_oh crap…_

Now totally alert, her mind leapt down the path it was on. Edward was the only one who could have known, if he looked when he carried her to her bed that night. Suddenly his thoughtful actions took on a more ominous meaning. Were he and James together in this? Did Edward plan to rape her? Torture her? Eat her? Did James even exist, or was it all part of an elaborate scheme?

Maybe he could control minds as well as read them. That would make sense. Just as Jasper was able to both read and manipulate emotions, Edward should be able to manipulate thoughts. Was he planting false visions in Alice's mind?

"Bella, your tea is ready." Edward suddenly appeared at her bedroom door. "Bella?"

She looked up at him slowly, fighting to keep her expression normal.

"What's wrong? Your heart is beating a mile a minute."

As he moved closer to her, Bella battled the urge to scream at him to freeze. She didn't want him next to her – to touch her. Not until she'd sorted this out.

Something in her expression made him halt half-way to the bed. Edward's amber gaze moved to the cell phone in her hand, and she knew he could read the message on it. His eyes darkened in anger.

"That sick bastard," he muttered. Then he noticed that the dark-haired woman on the bed wasn't responding. She was eyeing him warily, like a rabbit watching a panther, her heart still pounding.

"Bella, what is it? He won't harm you. I'll kill him first."

Bella finally found her voice. "Is it James?" She wanted to see his reaction, to watch him figure it out.

Edward frowned. "He would have to know what you wore under…" The frown deepened to a scowl. "Could it be Mike?"

"The blouse was new. Unless he made a lucky guess, Mike wouldn't know."

Bella _wanted_ to believe that Edward wasn't involved. _You can't trust him_, her logical voice insisted. _Make some excuse to get him out, then call Alice…now!_

She recognized the exact moment when Edward figured it out. Understanding and dismay emanated from his lightening eyes.

"Bella, it's not me. I swear it. I didn't even see...I didn't look…"

Well, if he was going to kill her anyway, she might as well get this out in the open. "Not even Angela knew what I was wearing. There's no way anyone could have caught a glimpse of black lace with that shirt." She paused. "You're the only one who had the opportunity, Edward."

He closed his eyes and expelled an unnecessary breath. _This doesn't feel right_, Bella thought. Logically, he was the most likely one to do this, but it didn't make sense for him to go through this whole charade. Could a vampire have Jekyll and Hyde Complex?

_This is ridiculous, _she thought_. Whenever I go with logic over instinct, I'm wrong. My instincts tell me I can trust him. It's just circumstantial evidence. There has to be another explanation. _

"There has to be another explanation," she repeated aloud. Edward's eyes snapped open, relief written large on his pallid face. She thought she heard him whisper, "Thank God."

Still, he didn't move. He was giving her a chance to change her mind, she realized. Standing up on still-shaky legs, she walked past her vampire into the living room.

"I hope my tea's still hot."

Edward's choked laugh sounded behind her. He was still keeping his distance, she noted.

"You're incredible," he commented.

A few minutes later, fortified by her first cup of tea and sipping the second, Bella sat comfortably on the sofa. She indicated for Edward to sit next to her. Based on his reaction, her conviction to trust him grew stronger. He appeared hesitant to be close to her, as if afraid to shake whatever delicate balance he imagined existed between them.

"So, how could someone have seen what I wore at the party?" she began.

"How can you be so calm about it?" her friend blurted, ignoring her question for the moment. "I'm still furious myself!"

Bella forced herself to shrug nonchalantly. "I'm _trying_ to be calm about it. I feel violated. He was near enough to know what my underwear looked like, Edward! I'm…scared." She took a steadying breath. "But I can't let this get to me. That wouldn't be productive. He's playing mind games with us, and we can't let him win."

Edward shook his head slowly. "Amazing. Right then, let's think about this. First, it isn't necessarily James. Did you mention to anyone, even off-handedly, what you were wearing? Perhaps when you purchased the blouse?"

"No. I bought it about three weeks ago, and there was no one else with me."

"Could anyone at the party, other than me, have known? I must admit that I was…uh…admiring you in that blouse, but not even my eyes could detect lace under it."

Bella felt herself flush with pleasure. He was admiring her? "No, no one. Another telepath? Astral projection?"

Edward's lips twitched. "I don't think astral projection is possible among our kind. As for another telepath, I'd like to think that you'd block them as well."

"Then that means someone was watching me get dressed or undressed."

She swallowed quickly, willing the panic to subside. Edward's jaw clenched, but his hand was gentle as he reached for Bella's and held it. At his touch she felt herself calm.

"Could he have been hiding in the apartment?"

"I would have heard his thoughts. And smelled him."

"You mean James? What if it were Victoria? You don't know her scent."

"She would still smell like a vampire," Edward reminded her. "The only ones I detected were Alice and me."

"Human?"

Edward stiffened. "It could be." He thought back to the party. Were there any scents other than those of Bella and her friends?

"In an apartment building, there are so many humans packed close together," he voiced his thoughts out loud. "I'll need to sniff around places where someone can hide." He was about to leap up and do just that, but Bella tightened her grip on his hand.

"What if it's bugged?"

Edward paused. "Shit," he muttered. Bella looked at him in surprise. Edward rarely swore.

His phone rang. "Alice," he grimaced, reaching into the back pocket of his jeans. After speaking with her for a few seconds, he indicated for Bella to bring her head closer. "She wants us both to hear her, but doesn't want to use the speaker." He handed her the phone.

"Hi Alice."

"Bella! I'm so sorry I didn't see that message coming. Are you OK?"

"As OK as I can be under the circumstances, I guess."

Bella could almost see her friend nodding. "You were right to trust Edward. Now listen, guys. I saw your decision to ask Jasper to sweep for bugs with his equipment…"

"Jasper has bug sweepers?" whispered the man whose crazy hair was practically brushing hers.

"Shhh! Don't interrupt," admonished Bella. With her face mere inches from his, her heart was doing flip-flops.

"He will find four bugs. They are in Bella's room under the bedside table, the living room attached to the sofa leg, Angela's room under the bedside table, and the kitchen under the counter." Alice paused, as if seeing something else. "Ugh, and there are two little cameras, one in the flowers on Bella's bedside table, and the other in the flowers in the bathroom. Creepy."

By now, Edward was growling. "Any reason why we shouldn't destroy them, Alice?" he demanded between clenched teeth.

'Go ahead," she encouraged him.

"Are they anywhere else?" Bella asked, wondering if someone had got to Edward's apartment or car.

There was silence for a moment. "I don't see Jazz finding any more," her friend responded at last. "Bella, please be careful. I need to go now. Don't lose your faith in Edward."

A bronze-haired whirlwind was already flashing around the apartment, locating hidden microphones and cameras. Bella was glad that he thought to take a small trash can with him, so that when he crumbled the first into dust between his thumb and forefinger, he didn't make a powdery mess on the carpet.

"I'd like to see them," Bella commented. Abruptly the whirlwind stopped.

"Sorry." He looked abashed. "Of course. Here, let me show you."

It gave Bella great satisfaction to crush one of the tiny antennaed rectangular microphones under her heel. _Take that, Jamey Boy_, she mentally cackled. Edward carefully inspected each one for scent and fingerprints. There was faint human scent, but otherwise nothing. He mentally filed it away for reference.

When Bella saw the placement of the cameras, she was horrified. James could watch anyone stripping down and going into the shower. As for her bedroom, it was focused on the area where she usually changed clothes. No wonder he knew about the black lace bra and panties. She flushed bright red at the thought. The term "violated" didn't even begin to cover it.

Shortly after Edward crushed the second camera, Bella's phone beeped again.

"Let me get that Bella. Please." She nodded, afraid to look at it.

Edward was swearing under his breath, almost breaking her phone in his tightened grip.

"Is it him again?"

He hesitated briefly, not wanting her to see, but eventually showed her the text.

**Your boyfriend put a stop to my little show. No matter. You and I will make our own. Be ready for me.**

Bella shuddered when she read it. Even mental shields reach a limit. _I've got to get out of here! I can't let Edward see how upset I am._ Averting her face, she muttered something about being right back and made a couple of stumbling steps away from him.

Her friend was having none of that. He caught her wrist when she tried to twist away, and tugged her gently toward him. Instinctively she turned to Edward, who immediately dropped the phone and enfolded her into hard, comforting arms, being careful not to squeeze her injured ribs.

He rubbed very gentle circles on her back and murmured soothing words until her shaking stopped. Even after that, it seemed that he didn't want to let her go, taking deep breaths as if to assure himself that she was still with him. Or perhaps he was still trying to calm _himself_ down. Either way, standing here is his arms, her cheek against his chest and listening to his breathing, Bella didn't mind.

_Just relax and enjoy it while you can_, she told herself. _It's unlikely to happen again_. _He's only here until James and Victoria are out of the way. You're a perpetual torture for him, remember?_ That thought, of course, made her tense up again.

Edward released his hold enough to see her face, his expression puzzled.

"Did I hurt you? I caught just a glimmer of your thoughts, then the curtain slammed down again."

"What did you hear?" Bella asked warily. Great. All she needed was for him to feel even _more_ sorry for her.

"They were quite blurry. You seemed calm for a moment, then all I got was something about my not wanting to be here." He frowned. "We're not going through _that_ again, are we? I thought we were past that nonsense." Then his frown lifted and his eyes twinkled. "Does this mean I win the bet?"

Squashing her irritation at her concerns being considered "nonsense," she retorted, "No way, buster! Interpretation of blurry thoughts doesn't count!"

Edward shook his head, his mouth quirking up on one side. "You can't blame a guy for trying."

It wasn't long before Angela arrived home, Ben in tow. Bella and Edward filled the couple in on the latest developments.

"Edward, can we speak in private for a moment?" Angela wore that determined, I'm-getting-to-the-bottom-of-this expression that always made Bella nervous. By the look on her vampire's face and speaking glance he shot her, it seemed he was now the one in the hot seat.

"Good luck, Kreskin," she teased under her breath.

"Would you like me to come too, Ang?" inquired Ben. He looked torn between his desire to support his fiancée and his wish to avoid an infamous Angela Inquisition.

"Thanks, Ben, but I've got this."

_Uh-oh…poor Edward_.

Edward, meanwhile, carefully followed the statuesque ash-brunette's thoughts. He was impressed. She'd thoroughly researched her facts and was ready to lay them out in front of him, all for her friend.

She ushered him into her small, tidy bedroom. Unlike Bella's, Angela's bed was a queen-sized one that somehow took up most of the room without making it appear crowded. It occurred to him that his mother Esme would like the décor – light with pops of fresh greens and salmons. Angela's original photography hung on the walls, and her shelves were stocked with photographic and art supplies.

"Sit," she instructed, pointing to the white-covered bed. Edward sat.

Angela paced thoughtfully, preparing her delivery. Taking a deep breath, she began.

"Before I begin, I'd like to first say that I believe that you are a good man, Edward Cullen. The way you look at Bella…it's how my father looks at my mother, and how Ben looks at me." She paused, her appraising gaze pinning him in place. "If God forbid the situation ever came up, Ben would give his life for me, Edward. I know it's only been a few days, but I believe that time is irrelevant in these situations."

Edward nodded. There was no need for him to answer.

"Now," she continued, taking a deep breath, "I'm going to talk and you're going to listen without interrupting. "

_Yes, ma'am_. Never mind the centenarian vampire part. Protective Angela was scary.

"You were two years ahead of me at Forks High. I remember when you and your family came, in the middle of my freshman year. You, Emmett and Rosalie were the talk of the school for a while, just arrived from Alaska, all adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. Bella missed all of that, because she didn't arrive until junior year, and you'd already graduated."

_Thank God Bella wasn't in school with me_, he thought gratefully. That was nearly seven years ago. He wasn't sure that he would have been able to prevent himself from attacking her back then.

"For some reason people avoided you, thinking that you were antisocial, but what I saw was that you didn't fit in with all those petty high school dramatics."

Again, Edward nodded. She was right…and much more observant than he'd initially suspected. No wonder she and Bella were best friends. He knew what was coming next, but he still wasn't quite ready to hear it.

"I must admit that I was curious. You were all so beautiful, with such unusually pale skin. And even though none of you were actually related, you all had those strangely coloured eyes. I rationalized that you were of some obscure Alaskan ethnicity or something. But then, after Bella and I came here, she met Alice and Jasper. Same skin, same eyes."

She took a deep breath, trying to gauge his reaction, worried that he may retaliate somehow for discovering his "secret."

"Then there is how easily I recognized you when I saw you here."

She recognized him? How had he missed that?

"So when Ben and I went back to Forks we dug through our old yearbooks. None of you were ever there on Picture Days. It's as if you were deliberately avoiding being photographed. However, there was one photo from your senior year where you were in the background, opening your locker. You probably didn't even know that it was being taken."

Angela bit her lower lip, but looked straight at Edward. "You've slicked your hair down a bit on the sides, but otherwise you are exactly the same as you were then. An eighteen-year-old boy should look quite different from a twenty-five-year-old man, but you don't. You don't age."

She smiled wryly. "Ben thinks you're some sort of alien or zombie. My theories are more along the lines of angels, or aging pictures hidden away in attics."

Edward couldn't prevent the chuckle from escaping. "Dorian Gray? Really?" Oddly enough, it wasn't that far from the truth. Eternal beauty in exchange for his damned soul? Yes, quite close indeed.

Angela crossed her arms and shrugged. "It made just as much sense as anything else. Don't get me wrong, it worries me that you're not…normal. What worries me more, though, is that with your appearance in Bella's life also came a wrecked truck, damaged ribs, a psycho voyeur, and goodness knows what other turmoil. Now we're all impacted – Ben, Bella, me, Alice…and don't think I missed that exchange of yours with Domen. That's a whole other issue."

She shifted her weight to her other foot. Yup, he was in for it. "Cascade effect, Dr. Cullen. I want to know what you intend to do about it, is this voyeur creep like you, why aren't we getting the police involved, and most importantly how are you going to fix this mess without breaking my best friend's heart?"

_Good questions_, mocked Edward's inner voice. _Got any good answers for her? She looks like she might torch you any moment now_.

The good news was that, in spite of everything, Angela's thoughts were leaning toward a happy ending for himself and Bella…as a couple. _That'll change if she finds out that you're one of the blood-drinking undead. But for now, yeah, let's go with that._

"Yes, he's like me, except that his eyes range from red to black. The police won't be able to do anything, so there's no point in involving them. My family and I, along with Jasper and Alice, are trying to catch James and make sure you, Bella and Ben are protected. Once he and Victoria are gone…" He hesitated, briefly caught up in Angela's image of himself with Bella.

"I'll be whatever Bella wants me to be for her." There. That was mostly accurate.

Angela's mind really was a pleasant place to be, and she said exactly what she thought.

"OK, fair enough. Let's go back to the living room."

Edward watched Bella's friend lock eyes with Ben as soon as they joined the others, silently communicating on a level that almost transcended thought. The same idea entered both Angela's and Ben's heads at the same time. Edward glanced at Angela in surprise. She trusted him that much?

Bella, meanwhile, anxiously scanned Edward's face, trying to discern what happened.

"Edward," inquired Angela, "Is it safer for us all to be in the same building, or different buildings?"

"Definitely the same. Our resources wouldn't be spread so thin that way."

Angela nodded thoughtfully, but Bella looked puzzled.

"Ang, what are you thinking we should do?"

"Well, there are two apartments here. What if Ben stayed with Edward temporarily?"

Ben wasn't happy with that idea. From his thoughts Edward knew that he really wanted to remove his fiancée from harm's way, and in his mind "harm's way" meant Bella with a psychotic freak after her. Edward couldn't blame him. If their positions were reversed, he would feel the same.

"Another option would be for Bella to be with me," he volunteered, feeling the petite dark-haired woman next to him stiffen. "When I'm at the hospital, Alice or Jasper could take my place."

_Good decision_, Alice's thoughts floated in. _So far that seems to have the best outcome._

After some debate, it was decided that Ben would move in with Angela, and Bella would stay upstairs with him. Soon Alice and Jasper arrived, ready to take over while Edward was on duty at the hospital.

"I was right about the bed and sofa, wasn't I?" teased Alice, too low for the humans to hear. Edward responded with a grimace.

Bella followed him to the door as he was leaving.

"Are you sure you're all right with staying with me?" He had to be certain that she wasn't feeling forced.

As usual, Bella seemed to know exactly the point that bothered him. "I trust you, Edward. I'm OK with it if you are. _Are_ you OK with it?"

He grinned in relief. "More than OK." Bella's answering smile practically lifted him off his feet. The two of them stood there for a moment, gazing happily at each other.

"Get to work, Edward," prompted Jasper good-naturedly. _You look like a lovesick puppy, dude._

"Have a good night, Bella." He was reluctant to leave her.

"You too. Now go!" She gave him a gentle shove.

"Don't forget to lock…"

"Out!"

_Whew_, she thought. In truth, she was having mixed feelings about the new living arrangement. She'd quickly squashed her excitement at spending time alone with Edward, reminding herself that because of her he lost his peaceful refuge. On the other hand, he did admit that he felt more at peace with her than without her. Bella understood that. With him there, she felt more…complete.

Bella glanced up to find Jasper's sympathetic golden eyes on her.

"Don't overthink it," he advised in his soft drawl. "He needs you too."

The next few days passed quickly. As much as she hated mornings, Bella woke up early in anticipation of Edward coming "home." Alice, her self-appointed babysitter for nighttime, informed her that Edward's family had joined in tracking James and Victoria, but just when they thought they had them, the slippery pair seemed to evaporate into thin air.

Bella hated this waiting game, but Alice and Angela didn't seem to mind. In fact, the three women indulged more in "bonding activities," even inviting Carissa to join them for a shopping expedition.

Edward still remained reserved, although there had been that irritating gleam in his eye when he informed her that her truck wouldn't be ready for another couple of weeks. He was her chauffeur to and from the university, their time together mostly light and pleasant. Bella felt herself falling a little bit more in love with him each time, and the sight of his tall, bronze-haired figure waiting for her never failed to make her heart leap.

It was easy to fall into a false sense of security, one that shattered just after Bella's Tuesday comp class. Two male students approached Bella's desk as she logged out of the lecture hall computer and stacked the remaining handouts.

"Bella? We need to talk with you for a moment."

Somewhere in the back of her mind a red flag went up. There was something…off…about these students. She picked up the cell phone on her desk, her thumb ready to speed-dial Edward.

"Of course. I noticed that you weren't on the roster. Are you adding this class?"

One of them pulled out his phone, which he handed to Bella. "Listen." _Uh-oh, this wasn't looking good. _

"Hello Bella," a soft, menacing voice greeted her.

No, not good at all.

* * *

So, who do you think is on the phone? :-)

In case you're wondering, Kreskin ("The Amazing Kreskin") is a mentalist who became popular on television in the 1970's.


	11. Chapter 11: Test

_No, your eyes are not deceiving you. I really AM posting another chapter!_

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

_**CHAPTER 11: Test**_

"Hello Bella," a soft, menacing voice greeted her.

_No, not good at all_.

"I wouldn't do anything foolish if I were you. My associates planted explosives in your friends' cars. All I have to do is press one little button here, and your precious Edward, Alice and Jasper turn into piles of hot ash. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Bella forced herself to shut down her rising panic and think clearly. Victoria could easily be lying. Alice must see this happening, she reasoned. Wouldn't Alice have called her? Why hadn't she?

"I thought you would. You will go with those boys next to you. No attracting attention, unless you want to be responsible for your friends' deaths."

Alice was supposed to be on her way to meet her…in her little yellow convertible. Dammit, Victoria's decision to blow up Alice's car wouldn't be made until too late for her to see it. What's more, in spite of her father's self-defense teachings, Bella didn't think she could incapacitate both men before one of them contacted Victoria. Bella had no choice. She had to let them take her.

"Alright," said Bella grimly, "You win. I'll come peacefully. Just let me grab my keys. If someone finds them here, they'll be suspicious."

One of the men nodded, the other still on the phone with Victoria. Slipping them into her pocket, Bella very carefully pressed the speed-dial button for Edward's phone, knowing that, unlike Alice, he didn't have a greeting for his voicemail. _Please let him hear what's happening_, she prayed.

Bella dawdled as much as possible, hoping that Alice or Edward would reach her before she went God knows where with these guys.

"Come on," growled one of the men, "We don't have all day." He grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hallway. It was semi-deserted, as the next class period wasn't for another hour.

Suddenly she heard running footsteps behind them.

"Bella!"

Carissa rounded the corner. What was _she_ doing here?

"I'm glad I caught you," her beautiful office mate exclaimed, completely ignoring the two men. The fact that she barely even glanced at a male, let alone _two_ of them, struck Bella as odd. Her brain worked frantically, trying to figure out a way to communicate the situation without raising suspicion. Or causing any more harm.

"Hello boys." Ah, there it was. Flirty Carissa was in the house. She glanced at them from under her lashes and coyly turned away, partially covering her face with her long curly blonde hair.

"Bella, that question you asked at the end of today's class? Alice says that she has the answer and is going to work on the project."

Understanding flashed through Bella's mind. Carissa glanced significantly at her hand at her side, and made a punching motion with it. Bella nodded imperceptibly. _Alright then…one, two , THREE_!

Carissa slammed her booted foot into the side of one captor's knee, while Bella kicked the groin of the other man. Both assailants howled with pain.

"Run!" Bella shouted. The women took off, both heading for the building's exit.

Fear and adrenaline lent her speed she never knew she had. _We've got to get out of here and into a more public place. There's the exit! Almost…_

Another figure appeared abruptly in front of them. Bella ran into him with a force that should have knocked him over, but instead she found herself flung back, her bruised ribs on fire.

"We meet at last," the vampire grinned menacingly. In a flash he shoved Carissa against a wall, her head snapping backward with a painful crack and her body slumping to the ground.

"Oh, don't worry," he sneered softly, taking Bella in an unbreakable grasp. "She'll wake up eventually. After I'm done with you, I'll have her for dessert."

Bella barely had time to see his fist descend before everything went black.

The first thing she felt was intense pain in her ribs. _Someone must be jabbing a stiletto heel into me_, she thought, fighting her way back to consciousness. Some sort of cloth had been stuffed in her mouth, and it felt like someone covered the lower part of her face with duct tape. Slowly opening her eyes, it took a few moments to focus on her brown-booted feet…standing on muddy leaves. She was outside, in a forest, chained to a tree with her numb arms wrapped around the trunk behind her. A horrible pounding started inside her head, and she fought the dizziness that began to engulf her.

"Good of you to join us, Bella."

_James_.

He appeared in front of her with an evil smirk on his angular face, his lustful crimson eyes raking over her. Bella shuddered as he ran a cold filthy finger from her temple, across her cheek, and down her neck. _Edward and Alice, where are you?_

"You really do smell appetizing," he said softly, his leering face inches from hers and his sour breath fanning over her.

_Don't panic. Don't panic! It'll only entice him..._

Suddenly he twisted his hand, his fingernail making a deep cut under her chin. Bella screamed behind her gag.

He licked her blood from his fingertip. "Maybe just a little taste while I…"

Abruptly he grasped the top of her sweater and ripped it straight down the front. "Yes! No wonder Cullen kept you as his pet. Well, it looks like it's time for someone else to play."

This was it. She was going to die at the hands…and teeth…of this evil vampire. She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the torture to follow.

"James," a melodious female voice interrupted. "He's coming."

_Who? Who's coming?_

James stepped away from Bella, glancing sideways at the lovely flame-haired vampire emerging from the woods on the left. Like James, her clothes looked dirty and slightly torn, although now Bella's gaze focused on the woman's face.

"So you recognize me, do you?" she sneered at their captive. "Your friend may have rescued you last time, but now…"

"A little revenge, my sweet Bella," James interjected smoothly. "Murdered by your own lover, the vampire who tried so hard to save you. And he, in turn, is destroyed. How ironic. How perfect!"

_How unhinged_, thought Bella. He truly is insane. She screamed into her gag again as James sliced through the skin of her left arm with his thumbnail. And then she was alone.

Bella began to feel an odd tingling sensation, pleasant, almost indiscernible yet rapidly strengthening. It couldn't possibly be…

Edward! He appeared silently, about a hundred yards to her right. Her heart leapt. Thank God, he'd found her.

Wait, why was he moving so slowly? He approached her, his movements stealthy, predatory. As he neared, she saw that his eyes were cold, solid black. In fact, she'd never seen him look more like a vampire.

Bella stood absolutely frozen, her heart pounding. He wasn't here to save her, he was here to eat her. _Oh shit_.

In a flash he stood a mere twenty feet from her, his expression wild and deadly at the same time.

"Don't be afraid," he murmured softly, seductively. "I promise to make this as painless as possible."

_Stay calm_, Bella, she instructed herself sternly. _He's a predator. Don't let him feel your fear, or you'll die for sure._

_Who are you kidding_, her other half scoffed. _You'll die for sure either way._

_Calm…relaxed…your only chance is for him to read your thoughts. You have no other way to communicate._ She closed her eyes and imagined herself back in her apartment, dancing with him. She remembered how it felt to be held in his arms, content.

_Edward, it's Bella. You don't want to hurt me. Please hear me_. She concentrated on pushing her thoughts out to him. _Hold your breath, Edward_.

Bella opened her eyes and looked directly into his. He'd halted within arms' reach of her. For a moment he stared at her, as if mesmerized. Then he clamped his jaw shut, closing his own eyes. When he opened them again they were slightly lighter, more golden around the edges.

_Please, Edward_, she begged.

"I won't harm you," he promised through gritted teeth. Bella wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more, himself or her.

He kept his gaze locked on hers. Bella forced herself not to blink, projecting calming thoughts to him, wondering briefly is this was how Jasper did it.

"I hear you. Hold very, very still."

Bella held her breath as he reached toward the thick steel chain that bound her to the tree, deftly popping a link near her hip.

"Don't…move," he ground out. Carefully he unwrapped the chain and let it fall with a startlingly loud crash. Bella resisted the urge to drop her aching arms. If Edward said don't move, then she wouldn't move.

She released the breath she held and watched as he ran some thirty feet away from her. A gentle breeze rustled through the autumn leaves above her head. Edward turned his face toward it, taking an experimental breath.

_Are you okay?_ she thought to him, hoping that he could still hear her. Bella was concentrating on staying relaxed, an almost impossible feat given the circumstances.

"Yes. Give me a moment."

Less than a minute later he walked back to her at a human pace, breathing deeply every couple of steps.

"You can move now, Bella." She couldn't help it – she released the tree and immediately her knees buckled under her. Edward was there instantly, picking her up and gingerly setting her on a dry patch of leaves. He crouched in front of her.

"My clever, brave girl," he crooned. "I'll get the tape off your mouth soon, but first…" He quickly pulled off his hoodie and put it over her head, but didn't pull it down.

It was then that she glanced down and saw the damage that James wrought on her sweater. She was, in fact, sitting half-naked in front of Edward. Her face flaming, she ineffectively tried to piece the sweater back together. Meanwhile, Edward tore two strips of cotton from the bottom of his white t-shirt, using one to staunch the blood still oozing from the cuts in her arm and chin.

"I lose more shirts this way," he joked. As intended, this evoked a small smile from Bella.

"I'm going to kill him," he muttered to himself when Bella drew a sharp breath at the pain. Her vampire was being extremely gentle, but _everything_ hurt. Edward simultaneously applied pressure to both her arm and chin for the next few minutes, all the while keeping up a one-sided conversation with her. Alice had seen what happened to Bella and, unable to reach Edward, called Carissa and Domen. Domen found Carissa unconscious in the hallway seconds after Bella was taken, and took her to the emergency room. She was awake now and resting at home. Jasper and Emmett chased after James and Victoria, but the evil vampires' scent abruptly disappeared.

Bella tried to follow everything Edward said, but now that her adrenaline rush had dissipated, her tortured ribs and cut flesh screamed at her. She began shaking uncontrollably from both the cold and after-shock. The smell of her own blood wasn't helping, and the gag in her mouth made her want to vomit. With quivering fingers she grasped the corner of the duct tape covering her mouth and yanked.

Oh my God, that hurt! Tears of pain flooded her eyes as she gratefully removed the rag in her mouth and threw it a far away as she could. Still holding the pad ender her chin, Edward lightly brushed her tears away with his thumb. He then softly stroked the torn skin on her lips, his cool touch soothing the burn.

"Bella, I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault," she croaked. She desperately wanted something to drink – and rinse out her mouth.

"Please hold this to your chin," requested Edward, gently pressing her right palm to the cotton pad. He then deftly tore another strip from his rapidly-shrinking t-shirt and bound the upper part of her left arm. Bella fought to suppress her reaction to the pain in her ribs when Edward carefully pulled her arms through his hoodie. She was stunned when he impulsively brushed his cool lips against her forehead.

"What…?"

Oh, the things that crooked smile of his did to her insides! Those six-pack abs peeking out from under his ruined t-shirt were only adding to the effect.

"Because you're amazing. Is the pain very bad?"

_Pain? What pain? Ah, THAT pain!_

When she didn't respond, he continued, "I'll take that as a yes."

Edward removed the pad from her grasp and examined the wound with a frown.

"This isn't working, Bella. The bleeding from your chin isn't stopping." His now butterscotch eyes studied her warily, a small "v" between them. "I'll need to seal it quickly…with venom. It won't be enough to turn you. Would you allow me to do that?"

"You won't…I mean…"

"No Bella, I won't turn back into that monster you witnessed a few minutes ago. I promise." His expression was a study in contrition and self-disgust.

"I believe you."

He studied the trusting young woman in front of him. Bella thought she heard him mutter, "I'm glad one of us does."

"Close your eyes, love. Don't open them until I tell you."

Love? _It's just an expression, Bella. Don't get carried away._

A few seconds later she felt something soft, cool, and moist moving gently along the wound under her chin. The cut skin stung briefly. Bella's eyes flew open to see Edward's wild reddish-brown locks directly in front of them. She immediately snapped them closed again.

Holy crow, he was _licking_ the wound closed! With anyone else she probably would have been disgusted, but with Edward…it was the most erotic sensation she'd ever experienced.

At her involuntary moan he hesitated briefly, then continued. When he reached the other end of the gash, he gave it a final swipe. Bella opened her eyes slowly to meet darkened, hooded ones less than six inches from hers. Her heart, already beating double-time, pounded in her ears. She held her breath, mesmerized as Edward tilted his head and kissed her.

As soon as his cool mouth met hers, something exploded deep inside her. Instinctively she pressed closer to him, moving her lips urgently against his. He traced her lower lip with the tip of his tongue, both healing and sending her blood racing, teasing her until she granted him access. Bella's whole body hummed in response to him. She was floating, buoyed up by the little electric darts of pleasure that shot through her.

Suddenly, he was gone.

Shocked, she looked dazedly around her, her breath still coming in pants. Edward didn't go far, only about twenty feet to her left. He stood with clenched fists and bent head, clearly fighting to regain his composure.

Bella finally found her voice. "Are you okay?" _Brilliant first words, Bella. Of course he's not okay. If he were okay, he wouldn't be standing way over there fighting the urge to eat you._

Edward's head shot up. "How can you ask me that?"

_Yeah, even he thinks it was a stupid question._

"Sorry."

He walked slowly toward her, shaking his head. "You were kidnapped by vampires, chained to a tree, almost killed…by me…and then molested…by me! And you ask if _I'm_ okay?"

Well, if he put it _that_ way…

"I'm fine, Edward. My ribs and arm hurt, and I have a slight headache, but otherwise…" She paused. _Was_ she okay? Surprisingly, given the circumstances, yes.

"I was hunting, allowing my primal senses to take over. I didn't expect to find you here, bleeding, and…oh God, I'm so very sorry Bella! You should never have been exposed to…"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, a sure sign that he was trying to calm himself down. "I swear I won't harm you."

"I know. I feel safe with you." It was true. With him here, she wasn't worrying about James and Victoria. Instinctively she knew that Edward would do everything in his power to protect her, even from himself.

Edward stopped directly in front of her, frustration written clearly across his handsome features. "Don't you have any sense of self-preservation _at all_? How am I supposed to keep you alive if you continually ignore danger?"

Alright, enough was enough. She'd just been through one of the most horrific experiences of her life, and this god-like, self-flagellating, _dumbass_ vampire was standing here arguing with her. All she wanted to do was to go home and have a nice hot shower. She felt dirty. She wanted to scrub James from her body. What's more, she was _angry_.

"Edward, you didn't kill me. You stopped yourself…"

"_You_ stopped me," he corrected. "You were somehow able to lower your shield and project your thoughts to me."

"Don't interrupt me!" OK, maybe that was a bit harsh, but after the events of today Bella was in no mood to listen to nitpicking. She took an angry step forward. Edward, to his credit, stood his ground.

"You didn't kill me. Furthermore, you did not molest me – you kissed me. And, in case you didn't notice, I returned it." Bella's face flamed at the memory.

Edward was shaking his head. "I took advantage of you, Bella. My only excuse is that for our kind, bloodlust and lust are closely intertwined. Being so close to you, sealing your wound with my venom…" He ran an agitated hand through his already messy locks. "I'm sorry."

Great. The most amazing kiss of her young life, and he regretted it. _Of course he regrets it_, her inner voice scoffed. _You didn't think he'd want to do it otherwise, did you? Amazing gorgeous vampire, boring unattractive human, remember? _She felt her insides twist painfully.

"Forgiven," she managed to choke out. "I understand. I…I wasn't myself either, especially after being knocked out by James. You don't have to worry that I would take it as…" _Shut up, Bella_. "Let's go home. Please?"

"He hit you hard enough to make you lose consciousness?" Edward closed the gap between them, immediately going into doctor mode. He quickly examined her eyes while lightly feeling her scalp. She winced when he touched a tender spot.

Edward growled softly, but his voice was gentle. "We'll need to get another scan."

His proximity and touch made those little electric shocks shoot through her body again. _Get a grip, Bella_, she chastised herself.

"Not until I have a good bath," she managed to respond. "Is your car near here?"

"No. We're quite far into the mountains. That's why I didn't receive Alice's texts or your voicemail. No signal." He paused. "We'll never get out of here if you walk. Would you allow me to carry you? I'd let you ride on my back, but I'm afraid to damage your ribs further."

She nodded, standing awkwardly in front of him.

"Just put your right arm around my neck," he instructed. Before she would even blink, Edward had one arm around her waist and the other under her knees. She found herself cradled against his chest.

"Relax, Bella," he smiled crookedly down at her. He was already striding rapidly through the forest, knocking undergrowth out of the way with his elbows to that it didn't smack against her. Drat, there goes her heart, thumping away again.

He didn't say much, so Bella closed her eyes and gave herself up to the sensation of being held securely in his arms. Edward was now moving so quickly that her hair streamed out behind her. With her cheek pressed against his shoulder, she could feel his slow and rhythmic breathing. _Odd_, she mused. _I thought vampires didn't need to breathe. _

Almost lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking motion, Bella allowed herself to daydream. She imagined that he held her as someone to be cherished, not merely as a troublesome friend for whom he felt responsible. She relived the feel of his lips on hers, imagining them as those of a lover.

If only it meant something to him too. Was it weird that she was more hurt that he considered kissing her a mistake than by the fact that he nearly drained her? Yes, yes it was. _Pathetic, Bella_.

She didn't even realize that she'd fallen asleep until Edward shifted her gingerly to open the passenger door of his silver Volvo.

"Mmmm…already here?"

The chest under her head shook with laughter.

"Yes, Sleepyhead, we are."

Bella smiled up at him. Edward's warm caramel eyes were alight with a mix of amusement and…tenderness? _Not possible. Stupid daydreams making her see things that weren't there._

"You just leave your car here on a road in the middle of nowhere?"

Edward shrugged, the movement making his chest muscles shift in interesting ways. Bella forced herself to concentrate on her growing feeling of uneasiness. Something was wrong. The car sitting neatly here. James and Victoria disappearing. It was all too perfect. She'd learned to trust her instincts, and at the moment they were screaming a warning.

Edward was about to settle her in the passenger seat when Victoria's words came back to her.

_All I have to do is press one little button here, and your precious Edward, Alice and Jasper turn into piles of hot ash._

"Edward! Stop!"

He immediately froze. "What is it?"

"Something's not right. I think they may have booby-trapped your car."

Thankfully, he didn't question her, instead leaping away from the vehicle with her still in his arms. Standing safely under cover of the trees again, Edward looked down at the women nestled against his chest. His lips quirked into a wry smile.

"It seems that you're right. Emmett and Jasper are on their way with some tools."

"How do you know that?"

"I can hear their mental voices. Alice sent them, along with your coat, the cellphone and keys you dropped, and a sweater for me." He looked puzzled for a moment, then grinned. "For some reason Alice saw that you didn't want to give up my hoodie?"

Now how had she seen that? The thought only just flashed across her mind a few seconds ago. Well, maybe it was when he gave it to her. Sneaky pixie vampire.

"Maybe you should put me down before they show up?" suggested Bella. As much as she was enjoying her position, she didn't want anyone else to see her like this.

Edward deposited her gently on a fallen tree trunk and gracefully sat down beside her. He looked at her uncertainly.

"Bella, at the risk of making this situation even more awkard that it is, I need to clarify what happened earlier. When I kissed you…"

Oh no. She didn't want to hear this.

"It's OK Edward. I get that it was just a result of bloodlust. It's part of a vampire's nature. Apology accepted."

Bella was certain that if he could blush, he would be doing so now. She knew she was. Why did he insist on bringing this up again?

"I'm afraid I didn't tell you the whole truth, Bella."

What?

"I know that I should keep away from you. In fact, I'd planned on doing just that after James and Victoria were no longer threats to you."

No, she definitely didn't want to hear this. He was going to tell her that he would be leaving her now, instead of waiting. Bella braced herself, steeling her emotions so that he wouldn't pity her.

"But now I don't think I can do it. If I wasn't already going straight to hell at the end of my existence, I am now. I can't stay away from you, Bella."

"You...you're…" she stammered. "Are you asking my _permission_ to drain me? You can't resist my blood any longer, and you're giving up?"

"No!" He looked horrified at the thought.

"Then you want me as a 'pet' after all?" Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Who was she kidding? It would be bad.

"Bella, I mean _you_, not your blood!"

"Me? But that's impossible." She shook her head in disbelief, firmly shoving down the hope that rose in her chest. "Why would you want…"

Just then a Jeep with mag wheels pulled up some fifty feet behind Edward's car.

"Hey Bro!" a cheery masculine voice boomed. "Cavalry's here!"

"Emmett," muttered Edward. "We'll talk later, back in my apartment?"

Bella nodded numbly. She was beginning to wonder how many shocks her system could take before she went completely bonkers. _Well_, she thought wryly, _I guess I'll find out soon_.

* * *

_So what do you think? James and Victoria gone for good, right? -)_


	12. Chapter 12: Faith

_Another chapter in less than a month? Will wonders never cease? :-)_

_Thank you for sticking with me. _

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

_**CHAPTER 12: Faith**_

Surprisingly, Bella didn't protest when Edward carried up to his third floor apartment. She headed straight for the shower. He wished he could help her wash her hair, knowing that raising her arms above her head would be painful. Instead, he contented himself with laying her favourite pajamas on his new queen-sized bed. When Bella didn't emerge after nearly half an hour, he went to investigate.

"Bella?" He knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you alright?" No response.

"Bella!" he called more loudly. He could smell her salty tears mixed in with the white-tea-scented body wash she always used. Sternly suppressing his rising panic, he turned the door knob.

"Bella, I'm coming in."

"No! I'm...I'll be out soon."

"Bella, the water must be scalding hot!"

"I can't get clean. I want to wash him off me, but I can't." Her voice wobbled.

Clamping down on his fury at both James and himself, Edward wracked his powerful brain for the best way to handle this.

_I'm on my way up_, Alice's voice sounded in his head. _Don't barge in there. She won't react well_.

"Bella love? Alice is coming. Please, turn off the water and wrap yourself in a warm towel." He knew his voice sounded far too pleading, but he didn't care.

"M…May I use yours?"

"Of course," he responded, stunned. She knew he'd put out a clean towel for her. He hoped this meant that wrapping herself in _his_ towel made her feel more secure. _Or it could just be that yours is bigger_, his logical self scoffed.

Alice arrived and took charge of the situation, much to his relief. He knew Bella wasn't comfortable having him help her, but he couldn't merely stand by while she suffered.

An hour later, there were entirely too many people invading his space. Edward was back in his living room, along with Bella, Angela, Ben, Alice, Jasper, Domen and Emmett. His sister Rosalie, who happened to be Emmett's mate, currently hovered outside Carissa's apartment building, making sure that Bella's officemate didn't become James' next target.

Although she was practically falling over with a combination of exhaustion and pain medication, Bella insisted on being part of the day's debriefing. She sat between him and Alice on the sofa, her head drooping on Alice's shoulder. With her bruised ribs, still-healing gash on her forehead, nearly-invisible cut under her chin, and her bandaged left arm…another wave of guilt swept over him. To his delight, she'd foregone her usual pajama top for one of his long-sleeved t-shirts. She looked adorable in it, with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. As much as Edward wanted to make her go to bed and rest, he knew he couldn't force her. So he focused on getting this meeting over with, and everyone out.

"So Bella had a 'feeling' that something was wrong, and Jasper and Emmett just _happened_ to be on their way with tools? Then Jasper, an expert in explosives, dismantled the bomb and our happy couple was on their way home?"

Edward couldn't blame Ben for being skeptical. It did sound far-fetched, particularly without knowing the entire "gifted vampire" aspect. Like Angela, Ben's thoughts tended to mirror what he said. Now, thanks in part to Ben's love of fantasy gaming, he seemed willing to take Bella's non-human friends in stride.

"What exactly do they want?" Angela asked. "And why?"

Jasper answered. "It seems that James saw Bella and decided in his sick head that she was his. Now he believes that Edward is her boyfriend, and wants him out of the picture so that he can have her."

_He really does have something against you, Edward_, he continued. _I haven't felt such hatred in a long time. _

_Whoa little brother, you've really got yourself in deep this time! Are you Bella's boyfriend?_

"Not now, Emmett," he murmured, too low for the humans to hear.

Angela sensed that Domen and Bella's golden-eyed friends needed to discuss something in private. She soon had Ben shuffling out the door, nodding when Edward mouthed a "thank you" to her.

_Just take good care of her, Cullen_.

In her mind, he saw his eyes widen. _Yeah, I'm on to you, _she thought. With a small smile, she was out and up the stairs. Damn, couldn't he keep a secret from _anyone_ any more?

"Okay," Emmett announced, "Now that they're gone, what's _really_ going on?"

Edward looked around the room carefully before responding. There wasn't much seating, so Domen and Emmett sat cross-legged on the floor while Jasper perched on the kitchen counter. Edward reclaimed his spot beside Bella. She watched him with a slight frown, but nether-the-less scooted closer to him. He didn't want her to know how depraved James really was. She'd had enough for one day. With a sigh, he began.

"He initially only wanted Bella for 'a little fun' before he drained her. But when I prevented him from having her, he became obsessed with taking her away from me. His greatest desire is to capture both of us, rape, torture and drain her while I watch helplessly, and finally torture me before burning me alive."

Edward felt the slender woman next to him begin to tremble, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "If he can't have that, then he'd settle for orchestrating me killing her, knowing that it would destroy me as well. The more he can terrorize others, the happier he is."

"Sick bastard," spat Domen, furious.

"Why does he want to hurt you so badly?" asked Bella in a surprisingly firm voice.

Edward turned to the puzzled face raised to his and smiled grimly. "Two reasons. First, he believes that I have something he wants – you – and he can't stand to not get what he wants. Second, there's the thrill of outwitting and killing another vampire, especially a 'freak' like me."

"I'm not letting you, or anyone else, die for me, Edward. It's not…"

She halted when she heard his soft growl_. Oh no, Bella, _he thought_, we are not going through this again._

Fortunately, Domen responded first. "Don't even go there, Sis. We've stuck together through your crazy family, my insanities, Manoj's broken heart, Carissa's psycho ex-boyfriend, deaths of loved ones, robberies, car accidents…you name it. I, for one, am not abandoning you now, and neither is anyone else here."

Edward mentally fist-bumped the Croatian vampire-hunter. _Perhaps he's not so bad after all_.

_I think I like this guy, even if he was born to slaughter us_, thought Emmett approvingly. _How did she end up with so many of us around anyway? Any werewolf friends I don't know about yet? _

"Don't even suggest it," Edward murmured.

Jasper and Domen glanced at him curiously, but Edward only gave them a minute shake of his head.

"I suppose we can track down the humans he hired. Any other information we can use?" Jasper asked, going through dozens of possible strategies in his mind. Alice, of course, considered and rejected each one. They made a good team.

Edward rapidly replayed the afternoon in his head, searching for any important detail he may have missed.

"I noticed something." All eyes turned to Bella. "It probably isn't important, but I thought it strange that Victoria didn't participate fully."

"What do you mean?" Jasper questioned, intrigued.

"Well, it's just a feeling I had, but it seemed that she…" Bella paused, searching for the right words. "It was almost as if she was waiting in the background for James to be done with his performance."

"Performance is a good description," Edward commented thoughtfully. "He enjoys the theatrical aspect of it. Now that you say it, I remember hearing Victoria's thoughts. I didn't pay much attention," He flashed a smile down at the lovely chocolate-eyed woman watching him. "I was somewhat occupied with other things."

"She was…bored?" Realization dawned on him. "No, more than that. She was hoping that James got what he wanted, so that she wouldn't have to deal with his anger later. She was _afraid_ of him. That means that she isn't really his mate. He just finds her talent for evasion useful."

"So we've found the weak link," commented Jasper with satisfaction.

"Thanks to Bella," Edward added, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

The group talked for a few more minutes, but Edward could see that Bella had had enough. Leaning down that that his lips were almost touching her ear, he whispered, "Perhaps I'll have an easier job getting you to bed this time."

He winked teasingly when she raised startled eyes to his, and her heart sped up.

"You are in so much trouble, Cullen," Bella hissed back.

"Aaaand…that's our cue to leave, kids," announced Emmett, waggling his eyebrows at Edward. "Things are starting to get hot around here."

Edward shot his brother an icy glare, but it was tiny Alice who literally pushed the huge vampire out the door.

Following up on Domen's threats of body part removal if Edward harmed his little sister in any way, Jasper decided to add his own unique spin to the situation.

"Be honest with her, and don't discount what she feels because she is human. She's just as bound to you as you are to her, whether she's ready to admit it or not. Have faith." He smirked mischievously. "Besides, you could cut the unresolved sexual tension between the two of you with a knife. Alice and I should probably thank you."

Alice was practically bouncing at the door. "Goodnight, Edward and Bella!"

Edward closed the door behind them with a relieved sigh. At last, he and Bella were alone.

_Be honest with her, he said. Right. And then she'll panic and run screaming upstairs to Angela and Ben._

He and Bella eyed each other uncertainly for a moment.

"So what…" they began simultaneously. They both laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Bella had been kidnapped and survived two vampire assaults today, and now both of them were behaving like nervous teenagers.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink, Bella? Tea?"

Bella stood, swaying slightly on her feet. "No, thanks. I would really just like to lie down. I'm so tired." Then a thought occurred to her.

"Why are you still here?"

He smiled wryly, trying to ignore the jolt of disappointment that shot to his stomach. "You don't want me here?"

"Of course I do! Besides, it's your apartment. I meant, aren't you supposed to be at the hospital now? It's past ten o'clock."

_Ah, that's all it is_. "I called in sick." _The irony of it all. _ "One of my colleagues is taking over my rounds tonight."

Now he stood directly in front of Bella, looking down into her warm dark eyes. For a moment she looked dazed, dazzled perhaps. Well, he was dazzled too.

Bella shook her head as if to clear it. She bit her lower lip anxiously. "I really should go to bed, but I also want to talk with you. Would it be okay if we…if you lie down next to me?"

_Hell yeah!_ His inner teenager rejoiced.

He smiled and swept a hand in front of him. "Lead the way."

Edward helped Bella into the newly-made bed and carefully tucked the sheet and blanket around her. Bella patted the space next to her and he lay down on top of the blanket, facing her with his head propped up on his hand.

"You know," she began with a hesitant smile, as if uncertain how he'd react, "In spite of the whole James thing, I'm actually glad that I almost crashed into you."

Edward laughed. "Well, that wasn't quite what I was expecting you to say!"

Bella grinned in response. "You only think I say surprising things because I'm the only person whose mind you can't read. I'm really quite predictable. You're just losing your ability to process other cues, Cullen!"

Was she right? Yes, he supposed she was. He really did rely too heavily on his telephathic abilities. Huh.

"OK, fine," he grinned back. "So, Miss Predictable, what's on your mind?"

The teasing light faded from her eyes. "I'd like to suspend the bet for a while so that we can talk freely. OK?"

Hmmm, this must be serious. "Alright, but perhaps we should save heavy conversations for the morning, after you've rested. And not under the influence of painfillers."

"No, I want to talk about this now."

Edward nodded, waiting for Bella to continue.

_Remember, Edward – honesty_. Great, now Alice was giving advice as well. Can't a guy have a little privacy around here?

"What did you mean when you said that James orchestrated you killing me, knowing it would destroy you too?"

_Why can't we just start with an easy question_, wondered Edward ruefully, _such as "what is the meaning of life?"_

Studying his love's troubled face, he reluctantly explained, "James knew where I was hunting and told his human goons to grab you and take you to Victoria. He thought that in full hunting mode I would catch the scent of your blood…the blood of my singer…and be unable to resist." Edward ducked his head in shame. "He was right."

"Edward, please look at me."

He obeyed. Truthfully, he had no choice. He would do anything for her, especially if she said "please."

"You didn't kill me. Somehow I was able to get through to you, and once I did you stopped. You have amazing control, Edward. You probably would have stopped even if I hadn't been able to lower my shield."

Edward seriously doubted that.

"Actually, that's not what I'm asking. I meant why did he think he would destroy you too? I get that you might carry the guilt for the rest of your existence, just like you do for those other people you killed when you left Carlisle's family for a while. But 'destroy?' Isn't that a bit much? Is it because he thinks you're my..." She reddened, obviously searching for less graphic word than 'lover,' the one James used.

"Boyfriend?" he supplied helpfully.

"Something like that."

_Honesty_, he reminded himself.

"Bella, James is a very talented tracker, and part of that skill involves understanding his victim. In addition, he has an even more heightened sense of smell than the average vampire. He can smell me on you, and can also determine if we've been having sex and if I've been drinking from you."

Bella's blush deepened, but her intent gaze didn't waver. _Damn, now was _not_ the time for Little Eddie to make his…its…presence known_.

He took a deep, unnecessary breath to calm himself. Big mistake. That made her scent even more potent.

"He knows how protective I am of you," he continued, hoping that Bella didn't notice the strain in his voice. "Even more protective than Alice or Jasper. You have no idea how fragile you are, Bella. If I let anything happen to you…if you died, especially by my own hand, then I would want James to kill me too. It's my greatest fear, not being able to protect you from myself."

Bella swallowed nervously, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

_It was now or never_. "Because I'm in love with you."

He couldn't bring himself to look at her, to see the alarm or pity in her eyes, so, coward that he was, he flipped on his back and stared unseeingly at the ceiling.

"You're probably horrified. I mean, who wants to hear that an undead, blood-drinking monster has fallen in l...?"

Bella scooted closer to him, pressing her warmth against his side and lifting her head to look into his face. "I do."

_She does?_ "You do?" Happiness blossomed in his chest.

She nodded shyly, her beautiful eyes still hesitant. "I don't know how love is for vampires. I mean, I'm human, and Alice told me that vampires are easily distracted, so…"

The uncertainty in her voice just about slew him. She was doubting herself again, and he hated it.

"Are you trying to suggest that you're some sort of short-term fling for me?" he demanded, appalled.

Bella pulled away, refusing to meet his eyes. "I don't know what I am for you," she admitted. "You say that you're in love with me, but I can't count on that lasting. The love between Alice and Jasper is intense and forever, but I'm human. I'm like a lower species or something. Heck, I'm dinner!"

Her warm little hand rested on his chest, and he knew she could feel his silent growl. He gently tilted her chin up so that she had to look at him. "Bella," he told her deliberately, "you are not a temporary thing for me. Unlike humans, vampires very rarely change. When we fall in love, it is permanent."

He heard her breath hitch. Had he frightened her? Was it too much? Now was the hard part – letting her know that she could still walk away. Part of him hoped she would, for her sake.

"I'm not expecting anything. You've had a difficult life, and at the moment I may look like a fair option. But soon you'll graduate and begin a new phase of your life, and someone better for you will come along. Someone _human_, who can offer you so much more than I can."

Bella's eyes narrowed. "And what exactly are you offering?"

Good question. Realistically, he was offering whatever she would be willing to take.

"Whatever you need. Friendship, love, passion, for the short term, long term, or anywhere in between." He smiled crookedly up at her. "I'll even throw in coffee every morning."

She grinned back. "OK, deal." Then her face became serious again. "It's all happening so fast, Edward. Obviously I'm attracted to you. I mean, what normal woman wouldn't be? You're kind, intelligent, gorgeous, sexy..."

She thought he was sexy? His inner teenager did a victory dance, and Edward couldn't prevent his happy smirk. Seeing it, Bella playfully smacked his chest.

"Ow!" he joked, capturing her hand and holding it lightly over his heart.

They were quiet for a while, just savoring the presence of each other. Bella spoke again in a soft, dreamy voice.

"I feel this strange bond with you, as if there's some mystical rope between the two of us that draws me to you." She covered her eyes with the hand that was on his chest. "Oh God, I'm starting to sound like my mother."

"Would it make you feel better if I told you I felt it too?"

"Maybe? Only if you meant it."

"I mean it."

The woman next to him shifted to her side, wincing at the pain in her ribs. They lay facing each other, Edward's head once again propped up on his hand.

"I feel so…free…when you're around, Edward, as if I can finally breathe. And when you walk away, it feels like a piece of me goes with you. And then there's this funny tingle." She lifted her hand and lightly brushed his bare arm with her fingertips before lacing her delicate fingers with his.

Edward sucked in his breath sharply. Yes, he felt that as well. That fantastic spark shot straight up his arm. Bella hadn't touched him that way before, and he wasn't prepared for the extremely pleasant warmth that travelled through his entire body. He closed his eyes, relishing it.

"Edward?" Bella's voice was tinged with alarm. "Are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

His lids drifted open and he smiled at her. "It feels wonderful." He was rewarded with a shy smile in return.

"So, love, where so we stand?"

"Honestly? I'm scared."

Oh. Edward tried to disengage his fingers, but she gripped his hand a little tighter. "I understand. Entering into any kind of a relationship with a vampire, especially one who is in love with you, must be terrifying…"

"I'm not frightened of _you_, Edward," she interrupted. "I know you won't harm me, no matter what. There is so much happening now, so quickly. Only a few days ago I was a normal, boring grad student with a couple of vampire friends. Now I've been in a wreck, and there are two psychotic, _hungry_ vampires after me and the 'good' vampire doctor who saved my life. On top of that, I've managed to fall…"

She paused with a mock glare when he stifled a chuckle and muttered "literally."

"Sorry." _Bad timing, Cullen_.

"I've managed to fall for the handsome too-amazing-for-the-likes-of-me vampire doctor. I feel like I've been hit by the wall of a hurricane, and it's all I can do to stand upright and not be blown away. The past few months have been a psychological rollercoaster for me, and I'm not sure that I'm ready to emotionally commit to anyone right now. Most of all, I'm scared that I won't be what you need."

Fortunately, Edward followed her mixed metaphors with ease. "I won't leave unless you tell me to," he promised. "Never doubt that you're enough for me. On the contrary. I worry that you'll soon be tired of having a freaky undead boyfriend and long for a nice, normal human."

He watched her lovely expressive face. Even though he couldn't read her mind, he had a pretty good idea of her thoughts. Finally she arrived at a decision.

"Can we try it and see how it goes?" she asked hesitantly.

Relief flooded through him. He truly worried that she would turn him down. Lifting their still-entwined hands to his lips, he gently kissed her knuckles.

"Thank you," he whispered, delighting in her little shiver of pleasure.

"Kiss me again?"

_Thank God_. He'd been wanting to feel her lips on his for the better part of the last hour, but he'd chastised himself for being so selfish.

Edward intended for this to be a quick, chaste goodnight kiss, but it seemed the Bella and Little Edward had other plans. Bella was soon lying half on top of him, her leg nestled between his, and he was lost in her warmth, her scent, and the feel of her soft body on his.

He emerged abruptly from his blissful heaven when Bella pulled away slightly, her body quivering. Had he hurt her somehow? His rapidly rising panic fled when he saw the laughter in her somewhat dazed chocolate eyes. She was…_giggling_?

"So much for my kissing expertise," he commented dryly. This made Bella giggle even more. Clearly the combination of pain meds and exhaustion had kicked in.

"No," the love of his existence responded breathlessly, barely managing to talk between sniggers. "You're a grrrrreat kisser. It's just that I can feel your…" Her hand moved in the general direction of his stomach, making its way toward his thigh.

Oh shit. "Yes, well…um…" _Oh, come on Cullen_, _man up. No pun intended_. "You do tend to have that effect on me." At least she thinks it's funny. If she weren't half out of it she'd probably be horrified.

"I do?" Her voice dropped playfully. "Good."

He groaned. "Bella, you need to sleep." Edward carefully untangled himself from her, but as he swung his legs to the floor a small hand grasped the back of his shirt. Looking over his shoulder at her, he saw that all laughter was gone from her tired eyes, replaced with anxiety.

"Would you stay with me? Please?"

"Of course. I'll be right outside the bedroom door."

Uh-oh, she was biting her lower lip again. "I mean in this bed. I don't want us to…um…do anything. It's just that…"

_Ah, now I get it. Just as her presence grounds me, mine calms her. _

"You want me to lie next to you while you sleep?" Bella nodded. How could he say "no" to that?

He smiled. Wordlessly, he tucked the blanket around his hazy mate and laid down facing her.

She sighed contentedly, her eyelids already closed. "Thank you, Edward."

"Any time," he responded, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

Bella fell asleep almost immediately. Her faith constantly amazed him. What other human would trust a vampire so completely? A line from Peter Pan popped into his head. "_All you need is_ _faith and trust…and a little bit of pixie dust_." _Well_, he thought wryly, _we certainly have the boy who'll never age. And the pixie too._

Edward inhaled his Bella's calming freesia scent, barely noticing the burn in his throat. He smiled to himself, observing how the moonlight filtering through the gauzy curtains that Alice insisted on putting up turned her mahogany tresses silver. Gently he reached over and stroked them. Bella's skin appeared alabaster, almost like his own. For just a while he allowed himself the luxury of imagining eternity with this lovely woman at his side.

* * *

_So Edward FINALLY got the ILY right. Do you think Bella was ready to hear it?_


	13. Chapter 13: Teamwork

_Obviously, I didn't PLAN for this to take so long. For some reason, I just got a huge dose of writer's block. _

_Thank you for sticking with me. Here's a r__eminder of what happened in the previous chapter: _

_After Bella was kidnapped by James and Victoria, rescued and nearly eaten by Edward, and subsequently saved Edward from a nasty car bomb planted by you-now-who, the group headed over to Edward's apartment for a debriefing. They discuss James' obsession with Bella and Victoria's interesting non-interest in James' little hobbies. Finally, Edward does a better job with his "I love you" declaration. Bella is hesitant, torn between wanting to accept what he offers and her fear of hurting him because she isn't emotionally ready. OK, all caught up? :-)_

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

_**CHAPTER 13: Teamwork**_

Bella sat hunched over her desk in the grad student office, frowning at the student paper covered in blue ink corrections.

"Good morning," greeted Manoj, immediately to her right. She jumped in her seat. "Sorry."

"Jeez," she squeaked. "I didn't hear you!"

"Occupied with thoughts of someone?" he teased.

Bella rolled her eyes, a wry smile escaping. Lately, Manoj had a disturbingly one-track mind. The disturbing part was that he was frequently right.

"Why do you think that?" She wasn't _that_ obvious, was she?

"It doesn't take twenty minutes to correct the first page of that paper, no matter how bad it is."

She sighed, and looked up at her friend. His grin stood out sharply against his café-au-lait skin, his dark eyes sympathetic.

More than any of her friends, Manoj was the one with whom she could discuss how she felt. Jasper could discern her emotions, but Manoj _understood_ them. Perhaps talking with him would help her sort out her tangle.

"He is in love with you."

"I know. He told me."

Manoj's eyes widened, and he plopped himself into the chair next to her. "Oookay. Start at the beginning."

Bella told him everything, as much as she could remember, leaving out the parts about Edward being a vampire. When she finished, Manoj somehow managed to look serious and excited at the same time. He leaned back and peaked his index fingers thoughtfully

"So, to summarize, you were half out of your mind with drugs and sleep, and he cleverly chose that moment to tell you how he felt about you. He believes for some reason that he is dangerous to you, which could be true if this James is connected to him somehow. It also sounds as if he would walk through fire for you and expect nothing in return."

Bella began to feel uncomfortable. Manoj could see right through to her heart, and now he was studying her intently. "He seems to think that there will be no one else for him, and he is willing to wait. Do you believe him?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes."

"And this makes you feel guilty because…?"

Yeah, Manoj got her. "Because I'm still…numb, but I _really_ don't want to hurt him. I don't want to use him and his love for me. I feel like I'm reaching out and grasping him as a sort of…life preserver."

"A life preserver for your soul," murmured her friend thoughtfully. "Listen Bella. You are a warm, giving person capable of great love."

Bella grimaced, causing Manoj to shake his head. "I mean it. You've built this shell around yourself to protect your tender heart, layer by layer. You'd been taking care of your parents and your cousin, and then watched them all die. I've been here with you, remember? Nenad and I helped half-carry your father out of the car for your mother's funeral. You've been living on a knife edge waiting for the next bad thing to happen. Even that jerk you dated took more from you than he ever gave. It's time to live the life _you_ want. But you can't do that until you let go of this idea that you exist only for others. It prevents you from really _feeling_."

Bella had propped her elbows on her desk, her head in her hands. She rubbed her forehead tiredly. Manoj was right, of course. Hadn't Angela essentially told her the same thing?

Her friend leaned toward her and grabbed her right hand. His expression became more intent. "Remember that palm reading I did for you? Your love line curves up, but there is a fork." He touched her palm lightly, under her index finger. "This indicates a dilemma between your passionate nature and a need to control your emotions. And _these_…" He tipped her hand to reveal the edge of her palm, pointing out two small fine lines and one very heavy one above them. "These are marriage lines. The bottom one was your first crush, the second is probably Mike, but _this one_…" He tapped the heavy line triumphantly with his index finger, a huge grin splitting his face. "Is Edward. He's the one for you."

Bella grimaced as Manoj smugly settled back in his chair. Clearly he and Alice had a lot in common.

"So how do you feel about Edward?" Ah, this was the Manoj she knew. Let the analysis begin! She needed this, though.

"It's hard to put into words," she began slowly. "I feel so secure with him. It's like he shelters me from my demons."

Manoj nodded wisely. "Let him." He grinned mischievously. "Definitely not a father figure, though."

_Stupid blushing!_ "No."

"You've been living with him for almost a week now. How has that been going? How are things with him physically? Have you two done anything?"

"Manoj!"

Her Indian friend's grin widened. "So you have?"

"Not much," she whispered, giving in.

"Whoo-hoo-HOO!" chortled her friend. "Kissing? No intercourse yet."

"Intercourse? No!"

"How does he compare to your former boyfriend?"

Bella smiled slightly, certain that her face was now the color of a ripe strawberry. "No comparison. Mike is so far behind Edward that he isn't even in view."

A mischievous light lit her friend's dark eyes. "So you _want_ to have sex with him? Pursue a…um…_deeper_ relationship?"

Bella cringed at the pun. There was a definite reason he asked her this, and although she knew the question was coming, it was still a shock. It was one that she'd shied away from asking herself. With Manoj she felt oddly comfortable talking about these things, probably because he was always non-judgmental and sympathetic. He also had a way of helping her see the truth.

Did she? _Yes_, she admitted to herself honestly, _I do_. _That's totally unlike me. I'm usually so hesitant to take the next step in relationships…ANY relationships. And here she was, leaping head-first into one with a vampire! _

As her mother so often told her, with no outstanding good looks or talents, her purpose in this life was to serve others. What she herself wanted didn't matter as much. Until recently, she had done that faithfully._ But somehow, with Edward…gah! What was she thinking?_

"Does she want to have sex with _whom_?"

Carissa glided gracefully into the office, slinging her designer book bag on the back of her chair. She and Bella had reached a new level of understanding and respect after the kidnapping incident. They still weren't buddy-buddy or anything like that yet, but they formed a thin but strong bond that didn't exist earlier.

"Who do you think?" teased Manoj.

Carissa shrugged an elegant shoulder. "It could be one of several. There's that hot actor in that new comic book hero movie, for instance. He's on _my_ list."

"No way!"

"How would _you_ know, Manu? You're not a woman! Unless, of course, there is something you're not telling us? Should we be contacting your fiancée?"

Carissa turned to Bella, a twinkle in her beautifully-shadowed hazel eyes. "By the way, I saw your Prince Charming exiting his silver coach. He's probably on his way up."

Sure enough, a couple of minutes later Edward appeared in the doorway, bearing gifts. Domen, who had just finished teaching his class, arrived right on his heels.

"Hot damn, he brought subs! Is that chicken parmesan?"

Manoj chuckled. "Down, Domen!"

"Edward," grinned Carissa, "You just earned double bonus points. Any friend of Bella's who brings us food is a friend of ours. I don't suppose there's a veggie there?"

He handed over the white-wrapped packet of deliciousness, winking at Bella when she whispered, "Alice!"

They all munched and chatted for a while. Well, Edward only chatted, leaning casually against Bella's desk while she sat eating in her chair. Every so often his arm brushed her shoulder, sending tingles throughout her whole body. Judging by the glances he cast down at her, he knew exactly the effect he had on her. _Damn vampire super senses_.

"So," teased Edward later as they made their way down the winding stairwell, "Were you also talking about the hot actor in the latest comic book hero movie?"

Bella groaned. "Tell me you didn't overhear that conversation."

"I didn't overhear that conversation," he responded solemnly. His golden eyes danced with mischief. "Something you want to confide, Miss Swan?"

"Incorrigible brat," she mock-growled at him.

"True," he conceded. "But I'm _your_ incorrigible brat."

"Make that _cheesy_ incorrigible brat!"

She successfully had him distracted from the "hot actor" interrogation. On the other hand, Bella worried about how much he knew about her conversation with Manoj.

"So…how much did you hear?"

Edward looked down sharply at the petite woman walking beside him. They were in the parking lot now, almost to his car. What didn't she want him to overhear? He caught her gently by the elbow and stepped directly in front of her.

"I heard only from the point when Carissa arrived in the office."

"And thoughts?"

Drat, she'd caught him. _Honesty, Cullen_. He sighed. "I started listening for Manoj's thoughts when I reached your building. He was asking you about your physical relationship with me."

Bella was staring at the front of his hoodie. "I really wish you wouldn't keep doing that. It's intrusive, worse than eavesdropping."

When she finally looked up, he met her annoyed gaze. _Uh-oh_. "It's not something that I can turn on and off."

"You can still get out of people's heads and focus on something else."

Edward sighed. She was right, of course. "I was checking to see if you were in the grad office, and if everything was OK. With James and Victoria at large, I worry about you. I want to keep you safe." He couldn't resist tracing his index finger down the soft line of her jaw. Her skin felt wonderfully warm and alive under his touch.

"You're the most important thing in the world to me, Isabella. I'm sorry for invading the privacy of you and Manoj."

The love of his life huffed, but her beautiful brown eyes softened. Capturing his hand in hers, she tugged him toward his silver Volvo.

'Come on, Dr. Nosy. You're supposed to be driving me to work."

Edward knew how much Bella loved working at the Literacy Center. She taught two small adult classes, and tutored children in reading and writing. What's more, _he_ loved watching her animated face when she told him about little Abby reading an entire children's book out loud, or Mr. Tseng being offered the job for the application she helped him fill out.

The Literacy Center was unusually noisy today. From what Edward could gather from the minds of the two older ladies carefully packing ESL books into boxes, the Center was in the process of moving.

"Excuse us. Coming through!" Edward and Bella backed up a few steps to allow two young men struggling with a heavy metal desk to pass.

Seeing the question on his face, Bella explained, "We're moving to another building, closer to our clientele. This place is rather remote."

Edward nodded. Yes, it was remote. The place was really just a one-storey warehouse with a basement, where they were now.

Normally Edward would skulk outside the building, waiting for Bella to finish her tutoring sessions. However, today he had an excuse to stay inside and surreptitiously observe his mate. After all, it would be ungentlemanly to not offer his assistance with the moving, right?

The next couple of hours were spent listening to multiple humans' random thoughts, pretending to struggle with feather-light objects, and sneaking peeks at Bella. At one point the thirteen-year-old boy she was tutoring whispered,

"Do you know that guy over there? He keeps looking at you."

Bella leaned a little closer to the boy. "The one with the crazy red hair? Yes, I do."

"Do you like him?"

"Uh-huh." She turned her chocolate eyes toward Edward and winked. Bella _winked_?

"Is he your boyfriend?"

Edward cocked a teasing eyebrow at her, wondering how she'd respond. He heard her heart speed up, but she answered calmly, "Yes, he is."

Her soft smile almost made _his_ dead heart speed up. The boy nodded sagely. "I thought so. He has that dopey 'in love' look on his face."

Dopey "in love" look? Seriously? Bella chuckled at Edward's mildly disgusted expression.

"I think it's cute," she teased under her breath. Clearly she knew he'd hear her. He merely rolled his eyes and turned suddenly to catch a box out of one of the teetering elderly ladies' hands.

"Thank you, dear," she gasped. "My, aren't you quick!"

Edward had just finished loading the last desk into the truck when his cell phone rang. He noted the Children's Hospital prefix.

"Edward? Hey, it's Seth. We really need a favor from you."

Seth was an R2, young, enthusiastic and exceptionally good with children.

"I owe you one for standing in for me the other night," smiled Edward. "What is it?"

"We have a seven-year-old hearing-impaired boy here. Nasty two-car collision - some idiot ran a red light and hit his vehicle. He was in his booster seat in the back, and made it out with distal radioulnar fractures in both arms. The CT shows a mild spleen laceration as well. He was lucky. Unfortunately, our ASL people are either out sick or unreachable, and a couple of nurses here only know very basic sign language. That's how we got his age."

Understanding dawned. "The boy can't sign back. I don't know ASL, but you're hoping I'll be able to help somehow."

"Right. You seem to have a gift for communicating with kids. Poor little guy came in making sounds like a small frightened animal."

Edward felt Bella's warmth at his elbow.

"I can help," she murmured. "You listen to him, and I sign to him."

Edward's eyebrows shot up. "You speak ASL?" This woman never ceased to amaze him.

Bella grinned. "Fluently."

"Edward? Are you there?"

"Yes. One moment. We may have a solution." He covered the microphone and leaned down to Bella. "How long do you need?"

"My last tutee is in twenty minutes, but one of the others can help her. We can go right away."

Smiling, Edward uncovered the microphone. "Seth? We'll be there in under thirty minutes."

"We? Who's we?"

"'We' is Bella and me." He met Bella's amused gaze.

"Bella? You mean…?"

"My girlfriend," he responded with a wink at the woman next to him. As expected, her cheeks took on a lovely pink hue. "See you in a few, Seth."

A few minutes later, Edward was opening the passenger door of his car. He couldn't resist giving Bella a quick kiss before she got in. "Thank you!"

The love of his life giggled. "Not that I'm complaining, but I didn't do anything yet!"

"Well," he teased, "Then you'll just have to give it back to me until you do."

Bella's eyes lit up at his playful tone, and she reached up to kiss him back. The little cloud of happiness he floated on, ever since Bella declared him her boyfriend, rose just a bit higher.

It seemed that in no time at all they were in the hospital and had Bella's temporary ID badge made. Although he wasn't officially on duty yet, Edward donned his white coat so that they wouldn't be questioned by the staff.

A young Native American man in scrubs and a lab coat met them at the sliding glass doors to the ED. His face lit with a wide toothy grin. "Edward! Thanks for coming on such short notice."

Edward quickly introduced him as Seth Clearwater, fellow resident, one year ahead of himself. "Seth, this is Bella Swan."

Seth's grin widened even further. "So you're the one who this guy here can't get out of his mind," he remarked teasingly, jerking his thumb in Edward's direction. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last."

Bella immediately liked Seth. He had an open, easy-going personality and, judging by his manner as he quickly conveyed the details of the case to Edward, he loved his work.

"The patient is in 203," Seth continued as they moved past multiple rooms with soothing light green or blue privacy curtains. Most of the curtains were open. Bella breathed in the familiar scent of antiseptic and latex, finding it oddly calming. All around her were the sounds of beeping equipment, a child crying, murmured voices, the rustle of staff moving quickly.

"The driver of the car, Michael Brown, was airlifted, unconscious, to Northwest. They're trying to contact his sister, but so far she hasn't responded. We have no idea how the child is connected to the driver. One of the nurses tried the sign for 'father,' but the little guy just stared at her."

They stopped in front of a room decorated in soft green leaves and birds. Propped up in the bed was a small African-American boy, clutching a well-loved bear of indeterminate color. He looked so small and afraid, dwarfed by the white bed and equipment surrounding him. Both arms were splinted and wrapped in bright blue tape.

Without even thinking, Bella smiled and waved. "Hi," she greeted him as she signed. "I'm Bella." She used the ASL name with which one of her friends gifted her – the letter "B" imprinted on a variation of "kind spirit."

The child's dark eyes widened before shifting to Edward.

Drat, what's Edward's name? _Oh, I know_. With a mischievous grin, Bella pointed to the man next to her, and made an "E." She then shook it near the side of her head before dropping it into an "M" on her palm. "This is Edward, the doctor with the crazy hair."

Seth chuckled at the expression on Edward's face. "Oh, you have your hands full with her, Buddy. I need to check on another patient, so I'll leave you two with this young man here. Please let me know if you find anything."

_Thank goodness_, thought Bella. _Now we can finally talk!_ Edward was waving at the little boy with a close-lipped, unvampire-like smile, which the child tentatively returned.

"He's envisioning a young black woman with short hair, doing this…" Edward made a letter "D" with his right hand and made a short series of signs with both arms.

Bella nodded, watching the boy's eyes widening. "She is saying 'I love you,' along with his name. It must begin with a 'D'." Turning to the astonished child, she signed, "Can you spell your name?"

Edward's eyebrows lifted slightly. "He knows I can see what is in his mind. This is amazing! He is extremely visual, and is deliberately making images for me. His name is…"

Bella copied the letters Edward made. "Devin? Is your name…D..E..V..I..N?" When Devin nodded, she asked, "Can you spell your last name?"

As the little boy concentrated on spelling 'Williams," Bella noted that he painfully tried to finger-spell as well. She focused on the fingers, knowing that Edward would be able to repeat Devin's thoughts if she missed anything.

"We'll need to be able to do this _somehow_," she explained, shooting her friend…boyfriend…a teasing look.

"You don't think the mind-reading thing would go over well?" responded Edward ironically.

"Um…not so much."

After a few more minutes of questions and reassurances, they could both tell that little Devin was exhausted. Edward left them briefly to relay the child's information to Seth, quickly returning with the news that Devin's mother was on her way. He found Bella gently stroking the boy's curly head as his eyes drooped closed, one of her fingers held tightly in his right hand, the teddy still in his left.

"The pain meds in his IV are taking effect," observed Edward softly. He and Bella exchanged smiles. They both watched the child for a moment, listening to the quiet beep and hum of the instruments, and the activity outside of the partially closed green and white curtain behind them.

"You're very good with children," Edward commented. "I can envision you with a couple of little dark-haired chocolate-eyed ones of your own."

Bella caught the wistful tone in her friend's voice and looked up at him sharply. "I could say the same for you, but with crazy red hair and…" She hesitated.

"Green," he supplied. "My eyes used to be green." He fixed his gaze on the chart in his hand. "Children are not a possibility for me, of course."

In spite of his matter-of-fact tone, Bella wasn't fooled. _Oh drat, he's going all melancholy_. _Probably thinking about how he can't be _

_human for me again. Doesn't he realize all the things he _can_ give me?_ Maybe this bet wasn't a good idea after all – it just made him internalize his concerns instead of getting them out in the open.

"They're not a possibility for me, either." When Edward looked up at her with a small frown, she added, "Scar tissue. And before you ask, surgery is not an option."

It looked like he wanted to tell her he was sorry, but held his tongue. _Smart move, Cullen_, she thought wryly.

"On the bright side, we can both help children in ways that many others can't."

Edward smiled and shook his head. "You really are amazing, Bella."

"Yup!"

Bella was reluctant to leave Devin, so, after a few words with Seth, Edward went to check in. Soon, a nurse brought a frantic-looking young African-American woman to the room. It was clear that she came immediately from work – she still wore her uniform.

The next few minutes were spent fielding effuse gratitude and explanations of "what happened." With a final squeeze of Devin's hand, Bella slipped out of the room when the nurse distracted Devin's mother with a clipboard and paperwork.

Bella found Edward waiting for her outside the ER doors. He smirked, eyes dancing, as he held up his hand for a high five. Grinning, she unhesitatingly smacked the vampire's palm.

"Ready to go?" he asked. "I'll walk you to Alice's car."

On their way through the Giraffe Parking Garage, they discussed Devin. "He should recover quite quickly, although I'm not certain about his mother's cousin, the driver of the car. From what Seth indicated, he should be OK though."

Bella nodded, still absorbing their time with Devin. The trusting, incredulous expression on that little boy's face would stay with her forever. She hoped he wouldn't regale his mother with tales of mind-reading.

Edward suddenly laced his cool fingers with hers, the familiar tingle distracting her. "Where did you go?" he asked softly, looking down at her with that crooked smile of his. "His mother will think that he was imagining things," he assured her. "Alice already checked."

Bella rolled her eyes. _Damn gifted vampires_. For a guy who couldn't read her mind, though, he was pretty good at working out what she was thinking.

They walked in companionable silence, the only sounds the gentle slap of Bella's ballet flats on the concrete pavement, and the occasional growl and squeak of cars navigating the four levels of the garage. Catching sight of Alice waving a couple of rows away, Bella felt a flood of disappointment. Although happy to see her friend, it meant that her time with Edward was ending.

Edward heard her unconscious sigh, and gently squeezed the warm hand captured in his cold one. Every time she walked away from him, he felt as if a small piece of himself went with her. _Yeah, just what she wants, Cullen. Little pieces of a walking corpse. Maybe you can offer her part of a pancreas or something this time._

They were now a couple of cars away from Alice. Edward stopped and turned to her, still not relinquishing her hand. "Thank you for coming with me, Bella. I couldn't have done that alone."

She nodded. "Aside from being able to help Devin, the best part was being able to help _you_. You're so much more…" She paused, hunting for the right word. "Well, just more. This time, we were equals for once."

Edward's eyebrows drew together as he gazed down at the woman in front of him. "You still don't see yourself clearly, do you?" Before Bella could protest, he grinned. "Does this mean I win the bet?"

"What? No! I did _not_ directly put myself down, Cullen!"

Without warning, he grasped her waist with both hands, picked her up, and kissed her quickly on her indignant mouth. "Cheater," he whispered, smiling against her lips. "And now I've directly lifted you up!"

Bella grasped his shoulders tightly, even though her logical self knew he would never drop her. "Such a corny sense of humor, too!"

"Return my best friend to the pavement, Cornward," protested Alice, "And get back to work."

Edward rolled his eyes, but obligingly set his handful on her feet. "Thank you again."

Bella surprised him by quickly kissing him back. "I'll see you in the morning, Cornward," she teased.

He observed her make her way to Alice's yellow Porsche and slide into the passenger's side, his mind in a pleasant fog. How could one small human turn a powerful vampire's mind to mush? _Not that I mind_, he thought, watching them drive away. _Not at all._

* * *

_I fought with this chapter for quite some time. One of Bella's biggest issues is an ingrained sense of inferiority, not helped by the fact that she is getting involved with someone who, in her eyes, is vastly superior to her on just about every front. Although this chapter may seem unnecessary, Bella needed a chance to be "equal" to Edward. All healthy relationships should have some aspect of teamwork, after all. _

_So, what do you think? _


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